Our Long-Forgotten Gold
by The Smiling Angel
Summary: "Papa?" "What is it, child?" "Why do you sing about the gold?" Thorin gazed into the fire once again, eyes forlorn, before exhaling deeply. "Because we miss our old home and wealth. We miss them very much."
1. Song of the Lonely Mountain

**Our Long-Forgotten Gold**

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for reading my story! All characters are from the book, except for my own original character, Ril, which I hope won't bother anyone. The chapters bounce between the present and the past. The chapters in the present are basically the journey the Company takes in "The Hobbit," but stretched out to (hopefully) develop all the main characters. The chapters in the past are just interrelated one-shots that usually focus on Thorin's family, though other Dwarves will eventually make an appearance.**

**Chapter 1: Song of the Lonely Mountain**

_70 years earlier (2871), the Blue Mountains (Ered Luin)_

Fili peeked out from behind the tall stone statue of a mighty Dwarf warrior. His blonde head was barely visible. He stumbled when his younger brother bumped into him, but kept his balance. Fili frowned at Kili.

"Stand still," he whispered fiercely. Kili glared at his brother before nudging the arm of their cousin, Ril, who stood next to Kili.

"She's taking up all the space," he complained. Ril glared at him.

"No, I'm not," she replied in the indignant tone of a small child, but Fili hushed both of them.

"They'll hear us." He looked out from behind the statue again. There was a large gathering of Dwarves inside the dining hall. It was evening and a great fire warmed the hall while multiple candles provided the light. Supper had finished an hour ago, and Dis had sent the children to bed soon after. Kili and Ril were all ready to go to sleep, but Fili was too curious. Normally they were allowed to stay up for another hour or so after supper, playing or listening to the adults talk or singing and playing instruments. But once a month, they were sent straight to bed right after supper. Kili and Ril didn't care, but Fili thought he was old enough to listen in on their top-secret conversations. Tonight, he convinced his younger brother and cousin to put off sleep (because even though he was old enough to listen to the adults talk, he needed back-up, also known as scapegoats) by promising to take them to the creek the next day. Kili had always wanted to catch a toad while Ril wanted to learn how to skip a stone (a talent Fili was rather good at). The three children snuck down the hallway as quietly as possible, their footsteps barely audible against the cold stone floor. The dining hall had been empty because the women and a few of the men were cleaning up in the kitchen while the rest of the Dwarves had gone outside. Fili, Kili, and Ril decided to hide behind the statue closest to the fireplace, and just in time, too, as Thorin, Balin, Dwalin, and the other Dwarves from outside and the kitchen entered the dining hall.

The adults quietly chattered amongst themselves, and Fili wondered why they were not talking about important matters like he thought they would. Kili yawned, but Fili shoved his arm to quiet him. Ril also started to yawn, but closed her mouth when she saw Fili glaring at her. The older Dwarf looked out from behind the statue again, his eyes finding his mother. Dis sat in the corner of the dining hall, her blue eyes solemn. Fili's heart lurched when he thought of what would happen if she found them out of bed. His eyes traveled across the dining hall to his uncle, who sat closest to the fireplace. Thorin faced the bright fire and held a wooden pipe in his hand.

"Are they not doing anything?" whispered Kili, annoyance in his voice. "Can we go to bed now?"

"Just wait. Besides, we can't go to bed if they're still here," replied Fili. Kili sighed before peeking out from behind the statue. Fili was taller so Kili had to bend down slightly to see.

"Why are they just sitting there?" he asked. Ril was sitting on the floor with her knees drawn to her chest. She leaned over and looked out from behind the statue on the opposite side of her cousins. Ril watched her father breathe in the smoke from his pipe as everything became silent in the room. Kili squirmed as Fili tried to calm him.

"_Far over the Misty Mountains cold_," sang Thorin suddenly, his deep, melodious voice reverberating across the room. "_To dungeons deep and caverns old_." Fili and Kili stared at their uncle in amazement. Thorin usually hummed a tune or two, but they never heard him sing before. Ril just sat there, wondering why her father was singing.

"_We must away 'ere break of day. To find our long-forgotten gold_."

"_The pines were roaring on the height_," sang all the other Dwarves, joining Thorin. "_The winds were moaning in the night. The fire was red, it flaming spread. The trees like torches, blazed with light_."

Silence filled the hall again as the singing came to an end. Fili and Kili were still filled with wonderment. What had they been singing about? Misty Mountains? Gold? Fire? One by one the Dwarves left the hall without another word. Dis stood up from her seat, causing Fili and Kili to panic.

"What do we do? Mother's going to find out we snuck out of bed!" whispered Kili urgently. Fili did not know what to do, but he refused to admit that he lacked foresight (and an escape plan) in this situation.

"She might not look into our room," replied Fili in a poor attempt to reassure his brother. Kili groaned as Fili looked out from behind the statue again. Now only Thorin, Balin, and Dwalin (and the three children) were left in the dining hall.

"Aren't you leaving, Thorin?" asked Balin. "The night is late." Thorin exhaled a ring of smoke from his pipe.

"I'll remain here for a while." Balin and Dwalin exchanged looks.

"It will be a busy day tomorrow," argued Dwalin. "You should get enough rest." Thorin didn't reply as he remained gazing into the fire. Dwalin was about to say something else, but Balin stopped him with a shake of his head.

"Deep thoughts should be left for the morning, not at night when the mind is tired," he said quietly. Balin patted Thorin's shoulder before leaving the hall. Dwalin sighed and followed his older brother. Fili and Kili stood behind the statue awkwardly. They couldn't return to bed with Thorin still in the dining hall.

"You can come out now," said Thorin suddenly. All three children jumped in surprise. They had been caught. "I know you're there." Kili looked up at Fili, fear evident in his eyes. Thorin was like a father to them, but when he was angry, he was angry. Fili sighed in defeat and motioned for Kili and Ril to follow him. Kili followed him with Ril quickly stumbling to her feet. All three pairs of eyes avoided Thorin.

Thorin looked away from the fire to gaze at his nephews and daughter. He had seen them by chance when he was returning to the dining hall after listening to kinsmen chat about news from around the mountain. Thorin had stood by the entrance, waiting for the other Dwarves to catch up when a blur of motion caught the corner of his eye. He saw Fili, Kili, and Ril dash behind the statue right before the adults appeared beside Thorin. The king-in-exile was rather amused by the children's antic and never mentioned their presence to anyone, not even his younger sister. Thorin looked away from them to gaze at the fire once again. He knew his daughter would break the silence first.

"Papa?" asked Ril, uncertainty in her voice. Thorin hid a smile. He was right. Thorin looked at his daughter.

"What is it, child?" Ril was about to reply, but then closed her mouth before looking down at the stone floor. "You can tell me." Ril looked up again, but then quickly shook her head. Fili glanced at his cousin, afraid Thorin would lose his patience.

"Are we in trouble, Uncle?" asked Kili in place of Ril. Fili quickly nudged his arm, warning him to be quiet.

"No," replied Thorin simply, breathing in the smoke from his pipe.

"What if Mother finds out?" asked Fili, hope rising in his heart at the thought of Uncle Thorin stopping his younger sister from scolding them.

"You're not in trouble with me." A small smile appeared on Thorin's lips as Fili and Kili sighed in defeat.

"Papa?" asked Ril again. Thorin turned to his daughter.

"What is it, child?"

"Why was the gold forgotten?" Thorin exhaled deeply as he sat there for a moment, thinking, before speaking again.

"Come here, children." Ril was the first to obey, and she walked towards Thorin, sitting by his feet. Fili and Kili were slow to follow as they were still nervous at the thought of being caught by their mother. Dis could be crashing into the dining hall at any moment, unleashing her holy rage. The brothers sat by Thorin next to Ril.

"A long time ago, our people possessed a great amount of wealth, but it was taken from us unjustly."

"Who stole it?" asked Fili. Thorin paused for a moment.

"An enemy came down from the north and stole our riches."

"What kind of enemy?" asked Kili. Thorin sighed inwardly. He hoped to spare them the details.

"A dragon. A dragon by the name of Smaug." Both Fili and Kili's eyes widened as Thorin groaned. Oh, he would not be held responsible for any reoccurring nightmares his nephews might have.

"Papa, why did the dragon steal all the gold?" asked Ril.

"Because he's a dragon. Dragons are fond of precious metals."

"Where's all the gold now, Papa?"

"In our old home." Silence followed afterwards as Thorin watched his nephews and daughter take in all the new information.

"Papa?" Thorin glanced at his daughter. She was unusually talkative at the moment.

"What is it, child?" Fili and Kili looked at their cousin. They had a feeling their uncle wanted to be finished with this conversation.

"Why do you sing about the gold?" asked Ril. Thorin looked taken aback by her question, and his surprise didn't go unnoticed by Fili and Kili.

Kili nudged Ril's arm. "Stop asking questions," he whispered. "He's going to be mad." Ril ignored her cousin and remained looking up at her father. Thorin gazed into the fire once again, eyes forlorn, before exhaling deeply.

"Because we miss our old home and wealth. We miss them very much."

**A/N: And that is actually not the end of the scene! I deliberately ended the chapter here because I decided to make the second part the last chapter of this story. So this scene is both the first and last chapter. According to the book, characters like Balin and Dwalin are younger than Thorin, but I liked the dynamic the movie created by having those characters older so they are at least older than Thorin in this story (and like in the movie). Hopefully, none of the characters were too OOC, and we'll see more of Ril's personality as the story goes on.**

**P.S. A cookie to anyone who can guess where Ril's name comes from****. It's not that hard if you really think about it. *\^o^/***

**P.P.S. These are the ages of the characters that appeared in this chapter: Thorin is 125; Fili is 12; Kili is 7; Ril is 5; Balin is 142; Dwalin is 133; and Dis is 111. Remember that Dwarves age slower than humans so Fili may be 12, but he looks (and acts) much younger, and the same goes for Kili and Ril.**


	2. An Unexpected Party

**Our Long-Forgotten Gold**

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for reading my story! Even though it's the second chapter, the title comes from the first chapter of **_**The Hobbit**_**. **

**Warning(s): pillaged pantries, drinking Dwarves, and abuse of dishes**

**Chapter 2: An Unexpected Party**

_Present Day (2941), Bag End (the Shire)_

In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit. The hole in which he lived in wasn't damp or smelly or filled with unidentifiable creatures. It was a Hobbit hole so it was warm and comfortable. Best of all, it was home. Now, this particular Hobbit was both a Baggins and a Took. Well-respected as a Baggins, but deviously curious as a Took. Whether it was his character or this adventurous streak that attracted the attention of a peculiar wizard, this Hobbit did not know. All he knew was that he was not going on an adventure.

It was evening and Bilbo Baggins scooped his fried fish onto a plate filled with steamed vegetables. He was a proper Hobbit so Bilbo placed a dinner napkin at his neck (to avoid any embarrassing spills). Dinner was ready to consume, and Bilbo sprinkled a bit of salt over his fish and vegetables when the doorbell rang. He looked up in surprise. It could be Gandalf, but it was past tea-time (the Hobbit had invited him to tea yesterday as he couldn't think of another way to get rid of the strange wizard).

Bilbo stood up from his seat, placing his napkin neatly on the table, and walked out of the kitchen to open the door. His eyes widened when he saw the visitor. Either Gandalf grew shorter and stockier or this was an entirely different guest.

A rather tall and, admittedly, intimidating Dwarf stood outside Bag End with his back turned away from the door. The Dwarf must have heard the door open because he turned around as Bilbo tried to think of a reason why he was here. Was it the wrong house?

The Dwarf looked over Bilbo with inquiring eyes. "Dwalin, at your service." Well, he was polite. Bilbo quickly remembered his own manners and adjusted his robe to look presentable.

"Bilbo Baggins, at yours." Suddenly the Dwarf named Dwalin stepped into Bilbo's house without further delay. Well, he wasn't that polite. "Do we know each other?"

Dwalin stared at Bilbo. "No." Bilbo stared back at him, flabbergasted. "Which way, laddie? Is it down here?" Dwalin took off his cloak and looked around the Hobbit hole.

"Is what down where?" asked Bilbo with a slight frown on his face. Dwalin glanced at him.

"Supper." The Dwarf walked over to Bilbo and tossed the poor Hobbit his rather heavy cloak. "He said there'd be food and lots of it."

"He-he said? Who said?" Bilbo didn't receive an answer as Dwalin was already making his way to the kitchen. The blasted Dwarf must've smelled his supper!

"That's not a lot of food, but it looks good enough," said Dwalin stoutly as he sat down in Bilbo's seat. The Hobbit placed the Dwarf's cloak on a chair (curse that heavy thing!) and raised his hand. Dwalin may be a guest (that Bilbo had no idea would be visiting), but he spent a long time perfecting the fried fish to golden standards.

"That's my, um, my, uh, that's," started Bilbo but his words died on his lips as Dwalin picked up the fish with his bare hand. "Uh, um, a-alright, OK. Enjoy." The Dwarf didn't even bother putting a napkin around his neck or on his lap. Rip-off. Chew. Swallow. Rip-off. Chew. Swallow. Rip-off. Chew. Swallow. Bilbo could only gape as Dwalin devoured the fried fish in a mere minute. The Dwarf avoided the vegetables.

Bilbo sighed and sat down on a wooden stool to the right of Dwalin. He tried not to wrinkle his nose at the sight of the Dwarf eating without a fork or knife, but he did cringe when he bit off the fish's head with a loud _crunch_.

"Very good, this. Any more?" asked Dwalin, tossing the fish bone onto the plate.

Bilbo glanced at the Dwarf, surprised by his compliment. "What?" He blinked once before remembering his guest's question. "Oh, yes, yes." Scrambling off his seat, Bilbo looked around the kitchen until he spotted a plate filled with loaves of bread on the windowsill. "Ah." Feeling the hunger pains in his stomach, Bilbo nervously glanced at the Dwarf before grabbing a small loaf of bread and hiding it behind his back.

"Help yourself," he said, handing the plate to Dwalin. Dwalin took the plate and nearly inhaled the bread. Bilbo gulped at the sight of the Dwarf's eating speed. He held onto his piece of bread tightly. "It's just that, um, I wasn't expecting company." The doorbell rang again before Bilbo could continue speaking.

Dwalin swallowed a piece of bread and glanced up at the Hobbit. "That'll be the door." Bilbo contained his sigh and deftly hid his loaf of bread behind the fruit bowl on the counter. He looked quickly at Dwalin, who was wiping his mouth with Bilbo's dinner napkin. The Hobbit sighed but shrugged his shoulders. At the very least, he was wiping the food off his mouth.

Bilbo walked to the door, every solemn footstep signaling the awakening of doom. Old Took forbid this next visitor to be another Dwarf. He opened the door and nearly fell to the floor in shock. It was a white-haired Dwarf. He didn't seem to notice Bilbo's reaction.

"Balin, at your service," he said with a pleasant smile and a small bow.

Bilbo stared at him. "Good evening." (Now this wasn't the polite greeting to say, but remember that the Hobbit was under some stress, to say the least, at the moment).

Balin looked up at the night sky and nodded energetically. "Yes. Yes, it is." He stepped into the Hobbit hole. "Though I think it might rain later." Balin clasped Bilbo by his arm. "Am I late?"

"Late for what?" asked Bilbo slowly. What on Middle-Earth was going on? Balin never answered the Hobbit.

A smile appeared on his face. "Oh! Ha, ha!" Balin looked at Dwalin, who was standing to the side. His hand was stuck inside a glass container, trying to take out some pastries. Dwalin paused as Balin stepped forward. "Evening, brother."

Dwalin removed his hand from the glass container and put it back on the shelf. "By my beard . . . You're shorter and wider than last we met." He smiled teasingly and walked towards his brother.

"Wider, not shorter . . . Sharp enough for both of us." Balin gave him a small wink.

The two brothers began to chuckle as they clasped each other by the shoulders. There was a pause as they stared at each other (rather intensely, Bilbo noted). The Hobbit jumped in surprise when Balin and Dwalin suddenly smacked their foreheads together with a loud _thunk_.

"What-what in the . . ."

"And I have grown wider _and _taller!" exclaimed Dwalin, leading his brother to the pantry. Bilbo nearly smacked _his_ forehead. Darn those Dwarves and their noses! He followed them nervously, hoping they would keep their sticky paws off his seed cakes.

"Uh, excuse me? Sorry, I hate to interrupt." Balin and Dwalin continued talking. "But the thing is, I'm not entirely sure you're in the right house." Bilbo pointed to the door behind him as Dwalin picked up a wooden mug.

"Have you eaten?" he asked Balin, who was inspecting a shelf filled with assortments of cheese.

"It's not that I don't like visitors," continued Bilbo. "I like visitors as much as the next Hobbit. But I do like to know them before they come visiting." Balin smelled a piece of cheese and wrinkled his nose.

Dwalin, holding a mug of ale, took the cheese. "What is this?" Balin looked at his brother with confusion written plainly on his face.

"I don't know. I think it's cheese gone blue." Bilbo groaned in exasperation as he opened his mouth to speak again.

"It's riddled with mold," said Dwalin resolutely.

"The thing is, I don't know either of you," said Bilbo. Dwalin tossed the blue cheese over his shoulder. Bilbo watched it sail through the air before landing behind him on the carpet. "Not in the slightest." He looked back at the Dwarves. "I don't mean to be blunt, but I had to speak my mind." Bilbo raised both of his hands. "I'm sorry."

Balin and Dwalin suddenly stopped talking and looked back at Bilbo, who cleared his throat.

"Apology accepted," said Balin with another one of his pleasant smiles. Bilbo gaped at him.

"He must've been talking about the strange cheese, no?" asked Dwalin, shifting through the pantry shelves.

The doorbell rang. Again. Bilbo stiffened. He slowly turned towards the door, a look of ill foreboding on his face.

"I could eat again if you insist, brother," said Balin as Bilbo made his way to the door. This was worse than before! Terrible scenarios ran through his head. What if it was another Dwarf? What if they sprang _two_ Dwarves on him at one time? With a deep breath, Bilbo opened the door. It was much worse.

There were three Dwarves.

Bilbo whimpered.

"Fili," said a blonde Dwarf with a smile.

"Kili," said the second Dwarf, trying to look serious as he sized up the small Hobbit.

"And Ril," said the last Dwarf with the same confident smile as the blonde one.

"At your service," said all three with polite bows.

"You must be Mr. Boggins," said Kili, dropping the serious look and replacing it with a wide smile.

"Nope!" said Bilbo defiantly. "You can't come in. You've come to the wrong house." NO MORE DWARVES! He tried to shut the door quickly, but stumbled when Kili stopped him with one arm.

"Has it been cancelled?"

Fili glanced at his brother with narrowed eyes. "No one told us." Bilbo glared at them, angrily confused by the whole situation.

"No, nothing's been canceled," he spat.

Kili smiled brightly. "That's a relief." He suddenly pushed the door, casting Bilbo aside, and marched into the house. Bilbo looked on, distraught, as Ril followed her cousin. Fili looked at Bilbo before strutting into the house with a little bounce in his step.

"Can you smell it?" exclaimed Ril, clasping her hands together as Kili wandered around the Hobbit hole. "Food!" Bilbo groaned. Curse her sense of smell, too! He stumbled when she tossed him her rather heavy pack. Ril skipped her way to the pantry as Fili sought to use Bilbo as a hanging rack also.

"Careful with these. I just had them sharpened." He tossed his sword into Bilbo's (waiting?) arms.

"It's nice this place," commented Kili, looking up and down the halls of Bag End.

"Yeah," agreed Fili, removing a hidden knife from his boot.

"Did you do it yourself?" asked Kili to Bilbo. The dark-haired Dwarf looked down at his mud-trodden boots as Fili handed a (hidden?) throwing axe to the Hobbit, who was staggering under all the weight.

"What? No, it's been in the family for years," he replied. Kili's eyes brightened when he found a convenient wooden box right in front of him. He used the box to scrape the dirt off his boots.

"That's my mother's glory box," said Bilbo in a tight voice. He sighed when Fili handed him yet another knife. "Can you please not do that?" Dwalin suddenly appeared before them.

"Fili, Kili. Come on, give us a hand." He clasped Kili by the shoulder and led him to the dining room.

"Mr. Dwalin." Kili smiled and clasped him by his shoulder, too. "Ha, ha." Bilbo stared at them as Fili dusted off his clothing.

"Well, that's everything. I entrust them in your care." With a smile, Fili followed his brother as Bilbo stared into the distance. This was ridiculous. Now there were 5 Dwarves in his house?! Bilbo shook his head and followed the Dwarves to his dining room (when did they get here from the pantry?).

Kili clasped Balin's shoulder in a quick greeting as the white-haired Dwarf smiled. He stood to the side, watching his brother try to move the large wooden dining table. Dwalin scowled at Ril, who was busy swinging her legs back and forth lazily while sitting on a stool and munching on her 4th seed cake.

"Shove this in the hallway. Otherwise we'll never get everyone in," said Balin as Kili joined Dwalin in the effort of moving the table. Fili followed closely behind and nodded at Balin before walking into the dining room. Bilbo stumbled forward, adjusting the weight of Ril's pack and Fili's weapons collection.

The Hobbit stared at the Dwarves with an incredulous expression on his face. "'Everyone'? How many more are there?"

"Where do you want this?" asked Dwalin to Balin as he, Fili, and Kili attempted to re-arrange Bilbo's dining room. Bilbo felt faint.

The doorbell rang.

"Oh, no."

"It's really heavy," said Dwalin as he tried to lift the table. Bilbo had enough.

"No. No. There's nobody home!" he cried angrily, making his way down the hallway. The weight on his shoulders and arms burned, and Bilbo tossed the pack and weapons aside into a chair, shaking his head before continuing his stomping. "Go away and bother someone else." He pointed back to the dining room with his thumb. "There's far too many Dwarves in my dining room as it is." Bilbo pointed into the air indignantly as he neared the door. "If this is some clot-head's idea of a joke . . ." The Hobbit laughed mockingly. "I can only say it is in very poor taste."

Bilbo exhaled after his long tirade and opened the door.

Eight more Dwarves fell into his house.

"Get off, you big lump!" yelled Gloin, his voice muffled because of the carpet his face was stuffed against.

Bilbo stood in shock.

Gandalf the wizard stood behind the Dwarves and peered inside, bending down. He smiled slightly at Bilbo, who looked up at him. Bilbo sighed, knowing everything was this wizard's fault.

"Gandalf."

* * *

"Those are my pri-!" cried Bilbo, standing amidst a terrible commotion. Everywhere he looked, everywhere he turned, there was a Dwarf. All 13 of them were walking to and from the kitchen and pantry to the dining room, carrying a dish.

Nori walked on with a plate of corn in his hands, ignoring Bilbo's cry of desperation.

"Excuse me, not my wine." Dori carried on.

"Put that back." Bifur carried the plate of ham to the table.

"Put that back." Gloin carried the plate of sausages to the table.

"Not the jam, please." Balin carried the jam to the table. Bilbo nearly tore his curly hair out of his head when he saw Bombur carrying 3 large blocks of cheese.

"Excuse me. Excuse me. It's a tad excessive, isn't it?" asked Bilbo nervously, watching as Bombur waddled his way to the table. "Have you got a cheese knife?"

"Cheese knife?" asked Bofur from behind Bilbo. The Dwarf with the floppy hat held a plate of bread in his hand. "He eats it by the block." Bofur walked away as Bilbo's eyes widened. These darn Dwarves were eating away his food supply!

"Ugh," he sighed. Bilbo straightened when he saw Gloin carrying a chair. NO! The Hobbit hurried towards the red-haired Dwarf. "No, that's Grandpa Mungo's chair—"

Gloin walked past him to the dining room.

Oin followed behind his brother closely, carrying a chair also.

"No, so is that," said Bilbo, motioning for the Dwarf to return the chair to where it came from. "Take it back, please." Oin frowned and pointed to his ear.

"I can't hear what you're saying," he said, but Bilbo shook his head.

"It's an antique. Not for sitting on."

In the dining room, Gandalf, with his back hunched, set the table with knives and forks while Ori (cleaned?) the plates with his sleeve.

"That is a book, not a coaster. And put that map down."

"Excuse me, Mr. Gandalf?" asked Dori from behind the wizard. Gandalf turned around.

"Yes?" Dori poured tea into a cup.

"May I tempt you with a cup of chamomile?"

"Oh, no, thank you, Dori. A little red wine for me, I think." Gandalf nodded once and walked out of the dining room (which was a bit hard with all these Dwarves wandering around), but bumped into Nori who carried a large plate of roasted lamb.

"Whoop!" he said, darting past the wizard. "Mind out." Gandalf nodded his apology and straightened up without thinking. He bumped into the chandelier and a look of terror flashed across his face as he hastily tried to stop it from breaking.

"Yes. Ah." Gandalf nodded at his accomplishment and began to look around. "Uh, Fili, Kili." The brothers were carrying a large barrel of ale into the dining room and glanced up at the wizard with a smile. "Ril." She walked behind her cousins, eating her 8th seed cake, and waved her hand in greeting to Gandalf. "Oin, Gloin." The brothers were sneaking the "forbidden" chairs into the dining room when Bilbo wasn't looking. "Dwalin." The tall Dwarf leaned against the wall and nodded once at the wizard. "Balin." The white-haired Dwarf was seated at the table, putting food onto his plate. "Bifur." The Dwarf with the axe in his forehead trotted past Gandalf. "Bofur." He looked up at the wizard and smiled. "Bombur." The Dwarf was already eating at the table. "Dori, Nori." Dori was in the kitchen while Nori was still trafficking food to the table. Gandalf looked around, looking for the last brother. "Ori!"

Ori jumped in surprise as Bilbo wrestled the bowl of tomatoes in his hands away from him.

"No, not my prizewinners, thank you," said the Hobbit as Ori looked crestfallen. "No, thank you." Ori shuffled away without the tomatoes, and Bilbo looked up to see Gandalf staring at him. The Hobbit huffed and walked away with his prizewinners. Bifur approached the wizard and said something in Khuzdul, hitting his left arm with his right hand firmly.

Gandalf looked down at the Dwarf and nodded. "Yes, you're quite right, Bifur." The wizard looked around with weary eyes as the Dwarf walked away. "We appear to be one Dwarf short."

"He is late, is all," said Dwalin from the wall. He held a mug of ale in his hand. "He traveled north to a meeting of our kin. He will come." Gandalf nodded.

"Mr. Gandalf?" asked Dori as the wizard turned around. "A little glass of red wine, as requested." He handed Gandalf a (very) tiny glass. "It's got a fruity bouquet."

Gandalf took the glass of wine. "Oh. Cheers." He easily drank the wine in one shot.

"Bombur's on his second leg of lamb already!" cried Gloin from the dining room.

Gandalf inspected the glass. "Hmm." The red wine was rather good.

"What's this strange cheese doing on the floor?"

"Let's eat before Bombur devours everything!"

"I wonder if this cheese is edible . . ."

"What happened to all the seed cakes?"

"Here, give me a piece of lamb before he eats it all!"

"Don't hoard the meat to yourself, brother!"

"You just ate my chips?!"

"I'll have my axe on your head!"

"Where's the ale?"

Bilbo dragged his feet to the (now emptied) kitchen. He had no sense of bearing and tried to sit down, but sighed when he realized that all the (pesky) Dwarves took the chairs. Bilbo suddenly brightened and dashed to the counter, remembering the loaf of bread he hid there. The fruit bowl and Bilbo's bread were gone. All of the Hobbit's energy was spent. He couldn't even be angry anymore. And he was starving.

"Those blasted Dwarves." Bilbo sighed. "I am hungry, though. Maybe I can grab a bite." He straightened his shoulders and shook his head. "What am I saying? They're in _my _house. They're eating _my _food. I can eat whatever I want!" Bilbo stomped back to the dining room, but froze as he watched the Dwarves and Gandalf eat.

"No chance. Not from that distance," said Dwalin, who was drinking his mug of ale.

"Wanna bet?" asked Bofur, who sat at one end of the table opposite his brother. "Bombur, catch!" He threw a piece of boiled egg into the air. It flew and sailed and landed right in Bombur's mouth.

Everyone cheered and clapped.

Bilbo watched them with a sour expression on his face and turned around with a huff. He walked back to the pantry, hoping he could finally eat supper there in peace and quiet. Bilbo nearly fell to the floor. The whole pantry was emptied.

"Oh, you great galumphing git!" cried Dwalin boisterously.

Fili walked across the table, occasionally stepping on the plates and food, and held mugs of ale in his hands. "Who wants an ale?" Nori quickly grabbed a mug from the blonde Dwarf. "There you go."

"Over here, brother," called Kili as Fili made his way across the table.

"Me, too!" said Ril, waving her mug in the air.

Dwalin turned to Oin, who sat beside him and held his hearing aid against his ear. "I said have another drink. Here you go." Everyone watched as Dwalin poured ale down Oin's hearing aid.

Oin jumped in surprise and grimaced, pulling his aid away from his ear as Dwalin pounded his fists against the table in laughter. Oin looked at his hearing aid and blew the ale out, sparking another fit of laughter amongst the Dwarves.

"Ale on the count of three!" shouted Bofur, raising his mug. All the Dwarves raised their mugs and cheered. "One, two . . ."

"Up!" finished Kili as the Dwarves began to down their drinks. Ale spilled down everyone's beards (except for Kili, Ril, and Dori), and there was only the sound of slurping and swallowing for a moment. Dwalin, the reigning champion, finished first followed by Fili a second later. Everyone slammed their mugs down on the table and laughed.

"Who was the last to finish? Who?" asked Bofur, looking around the table. They all began to point fingers at each other.

"It's most definitely Dori!" cried Nori. "He can't drink fast while trying to stay clean!"

"I most certainly drink faster than Ril," retorted Dori.

Ril glared at him from across the table. "Hey! I've improved!"

"No, no, it was Bifur!" said Gloin. "The axe in his head got in the way!"

Bifur growled something in Khuzdul, earning chuckles from everyone, except Gloin.

"It was Ori!" said Kili. The cardigan-wearing Dwarf stared back at him with widened eyes.

"M-me? No, I-I think I drank rather quickly." Ori grew even more nervous as everyone turned on him.

"I agree!" cried Ril. "He put his mug down first!" Everyone stared at her. "I mean, last!" They looked back at Ori.

"I-I didn't know we were supposed to p-put it down."

"Aha!" exclaimed Kili. "You really did finish last!"

"He put his mug down last, but that doesn't mean he finished drinking last," retorted Dori, defending his youngest brother. Ori looked at him thankfully. "In fact, it was Bombur who finished last." Bombur looked up halfway from ripping meat off a bone as everyone dismissed Dori's accusation.

"What? Bombur?" said Bofur incredulously. "He's a seasoned drinker!"

"That's ridiculous!" retorted Oin, slapping his hand on the table. "The lamb's not seasoned!" Everyone sighed.

Gloin leaned over to his older brother. "We're not talking about the lamb. We said that Bombur is a seasoned drinker."

"Oh," said Oin, understanding. "If we can't decide, let's ask Gandalf!" Everyone turned to the wizard, who was munching on a cookie.

"Wha-what?" he asked, eyeing everyone at the table.

"Who did you see finish last?" asked Dori. Everyone leaned in. Gandalf hesitated, knowing the Dwarves will overreact either way if he told the truth or lied.

"Well, uh, I think—"

"It's coming! It's coming!" shouted Nori suddenly, waving his hands wildly.

Dwalin stared at the Dwarf. "What are you talking—"

Nori belched loudly all of a sudden. It lasted a good 5 seconds. Everyone doubled over in laughter as Gandalf smiled. He didn't have to answer now.

"That was a good one!" said Fili.

Ori stood up suddenly and burped also. For 10 seconds.

Everyone cheered and laughed.

Bilbo, still in the pantry, sighed in exasperation. "I lost my appetite."

"I knew you had it in you!" cried Bofur proudly.

* * *

"Excuse me, that is a dolly, not a dishcloth," said Bilbo angrily, snatching it away from an unsuspecting Nori. Nori stared at him before retreating to the kitchen.

"But it's full of holes," retorted Bofur, who was leaning against the wall with a mug of ale in his hand. Bilbo looked at him, nodding quickly.

"It's supposed to look like that," he explained impatiently. "It's crochet."

Bofur grinned. "And a wonderful game it is, too, if you've got the balls for it." Bilbo sighed in annoyance as Bofur laughed, joining Nori in the kitchen. The Hobbit placed the dolly on a shelf and faced the wall.

"Bebother and confusticate these Dwarves!"

"My dear Bilbo, what on earth is the matter?" asked Gandalf, walking into the kitchen. Bilbo looked up at him and followed. It's all the wizard's fault!

"What's the matter? I'm surrounded by Dwarves. What are they doing here?"

"Oh, they're quite the merry gathering once you get used to them," brushed off Gandalf. Bilbo frowned and tugged at the wizard's arm, leading him out of the kitchen.

"I don't want to get used to them. Look at the state of my kitchen." He pointed to the floor. "There's mud trod into the carpet." The Hobbit then led Gandalf to the bare pantry. "They've pillaged the pantry." Bilbo dragged the wizard into the hallway. "I won't tell you what they've done in the bathroom. They've all but destroyed the plumbing. I don't understand what they're doing in my house!"

"Excuse me," said Ori suddenly, walking up to the fuming Hobbit. He held a plate in his hand. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but what should I do with my plate?"

Bilbo stared at him.

"Here you go, Ori," said Fili, appearing out of nowhere. "Give it to me." The blonde-haired Dwarf took the plate from a wide-eyed Ori. Gandalf quickly got out of the way and leaned against the wall as Fili suddenly tossed Ori's plate to Kili, who stood in front of the kitchen and tossed it to Bifur. Fili received the plates from Ril and then tossed them to Kili, who sent them flying to Bifur. The Dwarf caught them in the air without looking.

"Take that back," said Bilbo, half nervously, half angrily. "Excuse me." He pointed at the flying plates. "That's my mother's West Farthing pottery." Fili tossed said pottery to Kili, who kicked it into the air towards Bifur. "It's over a 100 years old!" The hobbit nearly tore his hair out of his head and felt his heart about to collapse from anxiety. They were going to break his plates!

Gandalf smiled and did his best to dodge the flying plates as Bilbo made his way to the dining room where Ril was tossing the dishes to Fili. Bofur, Nori, Gloin, and Oin were playing with the knives and forks, pounding their boots to the beat of the silverware.

"And can you please not do that?" asked Bilbo. "You'll blunt them."

Bofur grinned at the other Dwarves. "Ooh. Do you hear that, lads? He says we'll blunt the knives."

"_Blunt the knives, bend the forks_," sang Kili suddenly from the hallway.

"_Smash the bottles and burn the corks_," joined Fili, juggling plates with his arms.

All the Dwarves joined in. "_Chip the glasses and crack the plates. That's what Bilbo Baggins hates_."

"_Cut the cloth, tread on the fat_." Bifur washed with dishes with amazing speed.

"_Leave the bones on the bedroom mat_." Ori struggled to balance a large pile of plates in his hands.

"_Pour the milk on the pantry floor_." Oin played (music?) with a teapot.

"_Splash the wine on every door_." Fili caught a run away plate with one hand.

"_Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl_." Dwalin handed the leftovers to Bombur, who cleaned off the plates for Bifur.

"_Pound them up with a thumping pole_." Ori waddled to the kitchen with the largest stack of plates ever in his arms.

"_When you're finished, if they are whole . . . send them down the hall to roll_." Balin sat at the table, a bored expression on his face, as he tossed the dishes backwards with the help of a plate. Fili jumped around to catch them.

Oin, Bofur, and Nori continued to play (music?) with the dishes and an actual flute while Dwalin head-butted a teacup, sending it to Ril, who tossed it to Kili, who tossed it to Bifur, who was nearly done with the dishes.

"_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates_!" All the Dwarves (and Gandalf) laughed merrily as Bilbo joined them in the dining room, a crazed look in his eyes. He gaped at all the clean dishes and the neatness of his kitchen and dining room. Bilbo couldn't believe they were the same Dwarves from just a few minutes ago.

"Bilbo," said Gandalf with a smile, presenting the clean dishes. Suddenly, someone pounded on the door 3 times. Everyone froze and turned towards the door. Gandalf exhaled deeply. "He is here."

**A/N: And phew! That was a long (and crazy) chapter! It was almost 3 times as long as the first chapter. Sorry for the lack of Thorin! And I feel really bad for Bilbo. Poor Hobbit. But Dwarves are fun! So it's OK.**

**P.S. Which Dwarf do you think finished drinking last? (Hint: it's one of the accused)**


	3. Run Fall Down Run Fall Down

**Our Long-Forgotten Gold**

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for reading my story! This was a really fun chapter for me to write. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 3: Run. Fall Down. Run. Fall Down.**

_73 years earlier (2868), the Blue Mountains (Ered Luin)_

"FILI! THAT'S NOT FAIR!"

"STOP IT!"

"UH-OH!"

Thorin sighed and clenched the bridge of his nose. Children. He loved them; there was no doubt about it. But he preferred them when they were eating or sleeping (and always in the presence of Dis, who conveniently abandoned him in his time of need). Not while they were playing. Inside of his halls in the Blue Mountains. On his resting day.

"I wanna play with it, Fili!" cried Kili, tiptoeing to grab the wooden sword from his older brother. Fili, who was several inches taller, held the sword high above his head. The blonde-haired Dwarfling ran around the hall as the dark-haired Dwarfling chased after him.

"I'm older," declared Fili. "I get to play with the sword!"

"Uh-oh," said Ril, following her older cousins. 'Uh-oh' and 'Papa' were the only words (if 'uh-oh' was considered a word) Ril could say. The three Dwarflings were running around for almost 2 hours now. Well, Ril was stumbling around on her short baby legs. Run. Fall down. Run. Fall down. Run. Fall down. Run. Fall down. Run. Fall down. It would've been endearingly cute if Thorin didn't have to go and pick her up every single time she fell.

"But I don't wanna be the goblin!" cried Kili, his eyes shimmering with tears.

"But I'm the warrior!"

With another sigh, Thorin stood from his seat and walked over to his precious (at the moment, annoying) nephews.

"Fili, Kili," he said sternly, looming over the tiny boys. They looked up at their uncle and immediately pointed at each other.

"Kili's being annoying."

"Fili's not sharing."

"Waah!"

Thorin turned around quickly. Instead of falling down, Ril had face-planted on the stone floor. The Dwarf King rushed over and picked up his daughter. Fat tears fell out of her eyes, and Thorin examined her face. He frowned. There was a cut on her forehead.

"Didn't I tell you to stay on the rug?" Ril cried more. Why did he bother? Carrying her in his arms, Thorin returned to his nephews. They were shoving each other when they thought he wasn't looking.

"Follow me, boys," said Thorin, walking out of the hall. Fili and Kili pouted.

"But Uncle Thorin—"

"We're playing—"

"Are you disobeying me?"

Both boys followed obediently.

Thorin groaned inwardly. Great. Now he has a crying/hurt child and two bickering boys to take care of. Dis loved to torture him. Ril, whose cries were reduced to hiccups, sniffled while burying her little head in Thorin's fur coat.

"Are we in trouble?"

"Probably. This wouldn't have happened if you didn't keep asking for the toy."

Thorin hid a smile. They thought he wouldn't be able to hear them if they whispered. Thorin brightened when he saw a familiar (and welcoming) face.

"Ah, Dwalin," he said as the tall Dwarf stopped midstride from running away. Thorin smirked as Dwalin slowly turned around.

"Thorin. I didn't see you there," he said, nervously glancing at the Dwarflings. "I was going to—"

"Ril got hurt," interrupted Thorin. "Watch Fili and Kili in the dining hall until I return." Dwalin's eyes widened, and he slowly turned to the two brothers looking up at him with (devilish) smiles on their not-so-angelic faces (this was all according to Dwalin's perspective, of course).

"Mr. Dwalin!" laughed Fili.

"You wanna play with us?" asked Kili with wide eyes.

Dwalin chuckled nervously and nodded slowly. He couldn't refuse Thorin (that was a death wish), but he also treasured his own sanity. If war and death couldn't break his mind, these two Dwarflings looking up at him will.

"Sure," he replied slowly. Thorin nodded and walked away to the children's bedroom with Ril in his arms. Dwalin looked down at the boys with fear in his eyes.

"Mr. Dwalin!"

* * *

Thorin placed Ril down on her bed and sorted through the drawers. He took out a bottle of ointment (named after Oin himself), cloth, and a bandage.

"Papa."

Thorin turned to his daughter and couldn't help but smile. She stared at him and held her tiny feet in her tiny hands, rocking back and forth. Thorin sat on the bed and opened the bottle, smearing some of the ointment on the cloth. Ril pouted and whimpered, trying to get away, but Thorin looked at her sternly.

"Ril." The baby girl stuck out her lower lip and looked up at her father with sad eyes.

Thorin sighed. She already knew his weakness.

"Stay still or the cut will get infected." Ril's sad eyes remained.

Thorin took a deep breath and rubbed the ointment on her cut. Ril began to cry again, but Thorin ignored her tears.

"Papa." Thorin glanced at her as he tossed the bloodied cloth into the wastebasket and picked up the bandage. She dried the tears in her eyes with her small hands. "Ow." Thorin's eyes widened. Ril learned another word!

"Did you just say 'ow'?" he asked, the excitement evident in his voice. She knew three words now!

Ril stared at her father.

Thorin cleared his throat and placed the bandage on her cut. He wasn't even sure if 'ow' was a word. Was it an expression? Why was she only saying expressions?

Ril pointed to the bandage on her forehead.

"What?" She continued pointing at it. Thorin's eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing?" She continued pointing at it.

"You don't want it?" She shook her head and continued pointing at it. Thorin sighed.

"I don't understand, Ril." She continued pointing at it. Thorin leaned forward.

"Why are you pointing at the bandage?" She continued pointing at it.

Thorin stood from the bed and picked Ril up into his arms. "I don't understand so we're going to eat our midday meal now." Ril stared at him with wide eyes. Yeah, he didn't understand his own logic either.

* * *

"And it went like, '_kaboom_'!" shouted Kili, swinging his spoon in the air. Dwalin nodded as Thorin's youngest nephew told him about the time he and Fili made a mouse explode.

"There was blood and guts everywhere," chimed in Fili, talking while eating his roasted potatoes. Dwalin nodded in approval. That's how a Dwarf eats.

"It went all over Uncle Thorin!" cried Kili happily, laughing alongside his brother. Dwalin's eyes widened as he snorted. How come he didn't know about this? He snickered. It was perfect information for blackmailing . . . For all those times Thorin used him as a scapegoat, babysitter, and shield.

Dwalin chuckled and looked up to ask the boys what other embarrassing things happened to their uncle. His mouth dropped open.

In a short span of 10 seconds, Fili and Kili had dragged a wooden chair larger than themselves to a shelf across the dining hall. Kili stood on the floor as Fili balanced on the chair, reaching for the forbidden jar of Dis's cookies.

"How-how in the world . . ." Dwalin nearly smacked his forehead. How did he not hear the chair scraping across the floor? Dwalin stood up from his seat and marched over to the boys.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked as intimidating as he possibly could. Kili gave him a grin and sprinted away, running around the dining hall. Fili turned around and quickly jumped off the chair, giving Dwalin a heart attack (there was quite a distance from the seat of the chair to the floor). Fili followed his brother as they ran to the corner of the dining hall, poking at a pile of firewood.

Dwalin slowly walked over to them and crouched beside them. "Can you tell me any other time your Uncle Thorin was in a comical situation?" Fili and Kili glanced up at him with smiles on their faces.

Fili nodded quickly. "There's a lot." Dwalin leaned in. "One time, he—"

"I leave for a few minutes and already you're trying to weasel out information from my nephews."

Dwalin jumped up and chuckled nervously as Thorin walked into the dining hall with Ril in his arms. Fili and Kili stood up and ran to their uncle. Dwalin followed at a much slower pace.

"I was doing no such thing," he replied as Thorin placed Ril in her high chair. The baby cooed and played with a wooden spoon. "They did tell me, though, about the time with the exploding mouse—"

"And I was covered in blood and guts?" asked Thorin, lifting his nephews onto the chairs one by one. "I wasn't even there. That was Oin." Dwalin's eyes widened as the boys giggled.

"Mr. Dwalin really thought that happened to Uncle Thorin," said Fili to Kili as Dwalin swore vengeance against the little liars.

"He's so silly!" laughed Kili. Thorin smirked and sat down beside Ril in another chair. Dwalin sighed and dragged his feet to the table. Why did he even try?

"Fili, Kili, make sure you finish your meal," said Thorin, looking over at his nephews. Dwalin grumbled to himself and tore meat off a bone. "Don't eat like Dwalin, though." Fili and Kili erupted into another fit of laughter as Dwalin scowled at his childhood friend.

"Mama said that it's bad to eat like that," said Fili, swallowing the food in his mouth before talking. Dwalin shook his head in disapproval. That's how Elves eat!

"She said, she said that it was unsee-unseel-uns—" said Kili, frowning as he tried to pronounce the word his mother liked to say.

"Unseemly?" asked Thorin as Kili nodded energetically.

"Uh-huh! Unseemly!" Thorin put mashed potatoes onto a spoon and held it out to Ril. The baby eagerly ate the food, munching happily.

"What else did your mother say you shouldn't do?" asked Thorin to his nephews.

"We shouldn't climb up on chairs!" answered Fili.

"We shouldn't run around during meals!" added Kili.

Dwalin gaped at them. Those little rascals!

Thorin nodded and glanced at a shocked Dwalin. "Is something the matter?" Dwalin stared at the smiling boys.

"They-they-they were j-just they-they were—"

"Can I have the bread, please?" asked Fili sweetly, looking at Dwalin. Dwalin just stared at him. Those conniving little . . .

"What are you waiting for?" asked Thorin.

"Wha-what?" asked Dwalin. "Oh, right." Dwalin picked up the plate of bread and handed it across the table to Fili, who took it.

"Thank you." Dwalin nodded, dumbfounded. So this was the power of the "Almighty Uncle." Thorin could even make his troublemaking nephews behave with one word or one stare. Dwalin resolved to learn from his majestic commanding ways. Maybe one day, he could get those little brats to listen to him.

Dwalin watched closely as Thorin scooped mashed peas into a spoon. First, scoop up the food with confidence. You have to show early on that you will not be trifled with (even to a little baby). Second, stare-down the victim, er, uh, the recipient of the mashed peas (who wants to eat that?!). Third, hold out the spoon in front of the mouth. No turning back. Fourth, use your hypnotizing eyes and convince the baby with one look to eat the food. Lastly, hold onto the spoon as the baby successfully—

"No."

The hall was silent.

"Ril."

"No."

Dwalin nearly fell out of his chair.

"I'm happy you learned another word. But the word will not be 'no'."

"No."

Dwalin howled with laughter. Someone dared to defy the King of Durin's Folk!

A vein throbbed in Thorin's forehead as he looked sternly at his close-lipped daughter. Fili and Kili held their breaths. What was their cousin doing? Yes, she was a baby, but even they obeyed their uncle when they were her age.

"Ril."

"No." Thorin switched tactics.

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Ril."

"No."

"Try saying 'yes'."

"No."

Thorin sighed and tossed the rejected spoon onto the table. He had been defeated by his 2-year-old daughter.

Dwalin wiped the tears away from his eye as he tried to stop laughing. "Remind me to make Ril my ally during fights. We might lose, but we'll always win against you!" Thorin stared glumly at his daughter.

"You need to eat your vegetables."

Ril gave him a toothy smile. "No."

Kili leaned over to Fili and whispered into his ear. "Do we have to eat our vegetables, too?" Fili shrugged and looked over at his uncle, who was having a stare-down with a baby.

"I won't repeat myself, Ril," said Thorin sternly. A smile played at his lips. "Eat your vegetables or I'll put more ointment on your cut." Ril whimpered as Dwalin smirked.

"Resorting to dirty tactics now, Thorin?" he asked. Thorin shook his head and picked up the rejected spoon.

"It's not a dirty tactic." Thorin motioned for Ril to eat the peas. "It's strategy used for the sake of one's child." Dwalin snorted as Ril eyed the green mush with distaste.

"Papa." She pouted and looked up at Thorin with her sad eyes.

Dwalin almost fell out of his chair again, laughing.

"Ha, ha! This kid's got you wrapped around her finger!"

Thorin sighed and steeled his nerves. He _will _not fall for her cuteness.

Fili leaned over to Kili and whispered into his ear. "This is really intense."

Kili nodded. "Over peas." He paused. "I really don't wanna eat my vegetables."

"Ril."

"Papa."

"You. Will. Eat. Your. Vegetables."

Dwalin, Fili, and Kili watched closely as Ril slowly opened her mouth. Dwalin couldn't believe it! Thorin actually won! With a smirk, the king-in-exile fed the mashed peas to his daughter. He looked over at Dwalin.

"That's how it's done."

Ril spit out the peas. "No."

There was silence in the hall.

Dwalin pounded his fists on the table and laughed hysterically. "Oh, this is good! This is really good!" He looked over at Fili and Kili, who were staring at the peas Ril spit out. "You don't even have to tell me anything, boys!" He smirked at Thorin. "I'm already seeing everything with my own two eyes!" Dwalin bowled over, dying from laughter. Ril smiled at her father, who seemed to be frozen in his spot.

"I don't think we need to eat our vegetables," whispered Kili to Fili.

The blonde-haired Dwarfling grinned and nodded. "Hide them." The brothers giggled at the thought. Thorin recovered from the traumatic blow to his pride a few minutes later and wordlessly scooped up mashed potatoes onto the spoon.

"Potato?" Ril nodded happily and smiled. Thorin sighed and fed her the mashed potatoes instead.

Dwalin leaned back in his seat, smiling as happily as Ril. He may not have learned all the ways of majestic authority, but he most definitely learned a valuable piece of blackmail to use against Thorin in the future.

* * *

"Mama!" cried Fili and Kili together, bounding towards the waiting arms of Dis. She laughed and embraced them warmly.

"How are my boys today?" she asked, ruffling their hair. Fili and Kili exchanged looks before glancing up at Uncle Thorin, who sat in his armchair. He shook his head. They nodded.

"We were on our best behavior," replied Fili with a solemn nod.

Kili smiled. "We ate all our vegetables, even though—" Fili nudged his brother's arm, quieting him.

"Is that so?" said Dis proudly. "Well, that must mean you like being with your Uncle Thorin, right?" She eyed her older brother, who groaned inwardly, knowing she was trying to trap him into more babysitting work.

"We really do like Uncle Thorin!" said Fili. Thorin glanced at his nephews.

"I like Uncle Thorin, too!" agreed Kili. A soft smile appeared on Thorin's face. "I like being with him even more now because we don't have to—"

"Why don't you two boys go to bed now?" said Thorin quickly, standing up from his seat. Fili and Kili pouted.

"But why—"

"Uncle Thorin—"

"Are you disobeying me?"

"Good night," said Fili and Kili. Dis stared at her brother, shaking her head, as she kissed her sons' foreheads. Thorin watched them trot down the hallway, whispering to each other, and Dis turned to him.

"You seem rather sensitive about disobedience," she commented with a smirk. Thorin remained silent as Dis walked over to the fireplace and smiled. Ril was fast asleep, a blanket keeping her warm. Dis gently picked up her niece, but frowned when she saw the bandage.

"She fell," explained Thorin.

"Oh, you poor baby," said Dis, cradling Ril. She bent down and kissed the bandage softly. Thorin stared at her.

"Why did you do that?" Dis glanced at him.

"Oh, kiss the bandage?" Thorin nodded. "It's to make the cut feel better. I always do that for the children. And they like it. Somehow it makes them feel like they're not hurting anymore." Thorin remained silent as understanding washed over him. Dis watched her older brother and smiled thoughtfully. "A simple act of a parent's love and care can do that. Isn't it amazing?"

**A/N: These are the ages of the characters that appeared in this chapter: Thorin is 122; Fili is 9; Kili is 4; Ril is 2; Dwalin is 130; and Dis is 108.**


	4. Dark for Dark Business

**Our Long-Forgotten Gold**

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for reading my story! Here's an especially long chapter in apology for not updating sooner. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 4: Dark for Dark Business**

* * *

"_What about a little light?" said Bilbo apologetically._

"_We like the dark," said the Dwarves. "Dark for dark business! There are many hours before dawn."_

_-Chapter 1, The Hobbit_

* * *

_Present Day (2941), Bag End (the Shire)_

"Who's here?" asked Bilbo, looking around the dining room uneasily. He had enough unwanted visitors in his home already!

"An especially important Dwarf," replied Gandalf, standing up from his seat. Kili and Ril nodded firmly in agreement. Balin followed the wizard and stared sternly at everyone.

"Now that he's here, our business has officially begun. No more fooling around. The next few hours or so will determine the course of our quest. It is extremely important, needless to say." The other Dwarves nodded and Gandalf scooted past them, walking down the hallway. Bilbo stood to the side, unsure of what to do as the serious tone of voice in the seemingly pleasant Balin unnerved him. Gandalf turned around and motioned to the Hobbit with his hand.

"My dear fellow! It's unlike you to keep a guest waiting at your doorsteps." Bilbo stared at him. "I said he was an especially important Dwarf. The host of this admirable house should meet him." Bilbo nodded and slowly followed Gandalf. Now he was even more nervous!

Balin looked around the dining room. "It's a long journey from the Blue Mountains, and Thorin must be hungry. There should be leftovers. Ril can take care of that." The dark-haired girl smiled brightly and skipped away to the kitchen, humming to herself. "Oin, Bifur, Bofur, Nori, Ori, put the dishes away." The five Dwarves nodded and carried the plates back to the shelves. "Dwalin, Fili, Kili, Gloin, Bombur, Dori, re-arrange the table again. It should be faster with the six of you." Dwalin suppressed a groan of annoyance (he hated this table!), but Balin was right. The table was soon back in the center of the dining room (it had somehow moved towards the wall during the party), and the dishes were neatly placed on the shelves. Balin nodded in approval.

"Now I think we are ready."

* * *

Bilbo stood to the side as Gandalf opened the door. Thorin Oakenshield looked up.

"Gandalf." The wizard bowed his head in greeting and stepped aside, allowing Thorin to enter Bag End. "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way twice." Thorin unclasped his cloak and folded it over his arm. "I wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door."

Bilbo, who was surprised to see a Dwarf even taller than Dwalin, furrowed his brows in annoyance. What did he just say?

"Mark?" he asked. "There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago." Gandalf quickly closed the door before Bilbo could look at his beautiful green door. The Hobbit huffed in annoyance.

"There is a mark," answered Gandalf. "I put it there myself." Bilbo resisted the urge to throttle the wizard (which would have been entirely impossible given that he's a tiny Hobbit) as Gandalf gestured to the king-in-exile. "Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company: Thorin Oakenshield."

Thorin looked at Bilbo with inquisitive eyes. "So. . . This is the Hobbit." He walked around him in a manner Bilbo thought was eerily similar to a predator circling its prey. "Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?"

Bilbo stared at him. "Pardon me?"

"Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?"

"Well, I do have some skill at conkers, if you must know. . ." replied Bilbo, who didn't know what to say but felt he needed to answer anyways. "But I fail to see why that's relevant." There was a pause as the rest of the Dwarves appeared, bowing and nodding at Thorin. Thorin turned around and smiled at his nephews before looking back at Bilbo.

"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar." Thorin smirked as the rest of the Dwarves chuckled. Bilbo was taken aback (he wasn't a grocer after all), but he wasn't offended either. He didn't want to look like a burglar!

Thorin turned around and walked down the hallway with the Dwarves immediately stepping to the side to let him pass (it was a bit hard given the tight space and Bombur). Kili eagerly held out his hand and took Thorin's cloak while Fili smiled slightly and walked beside his uncle. Bilbo looked up at Gandalf, who exhaled deeply and leaned against the wall (for support it seemed).

"What's going on?" he asked timidly. He was afraid of the answer now. Gandalf glanced at the Hobbit and patted his shoulder.

"In due time, my dear Hobbit, in due time." Bilbo didn't like that answer and opened his mouth to speak again, but Gandalf stopped him. "You haven't eaten supper, correct? The meeting has yet to begin so eat a bit of something beforehand." Bilbo grimaced, remembering his growling stomach.

"I would've had supper, dessert, and tea by now if it weren't for those Dwarves," he muttered, scowling at the direction of his uninvited guests' location. "I'm not even sure there's food left for me to eat."

"As I said, you'll get used to them. Now off you go, Master Baggins." Gandalf shooed Bilbo towards the direction of the kitchen. The Hobbit's stomach growled as he smelled the meat stew he made earlier.

"I don't want to get used to Dwarves, but that is a delicious smell, if I do say so myself!"

* * *

Thorin sat down at the head of the dining table (because he was the leader) while Bombur sat opposite him on the other end (because he needed the space). Bofur, Balin, Gloin, Nori, Dori, and Ori sat on Thorin's right and on his left were Dwalin, Bifur, Oin, Fili, and Kili. The Dwarf King looked at everyone gathered in the room before frowning slightly.

"Where's Ril?"

* * *

Ril hummed to herself as she stirred the pot of meat stew. The delicious smell was making her hungry again, and Ril looked around the kitchen before lifting the ladle in an attempt to taste the stew.

"Please don't do that!"

Ril almost dropped the ladle in surprise, but quickly caught it with her other hand. She sighed as Bilbo stepped into the kitchen.

"You scared me!"

Bilbo walked past the tall female Dwarf and examined the (few) leftovers on the kitchen table. "I scared you? Ha, you Dwarves are a bigger fright! Appearing at my house without invitation or warning. Eating all my food and drinking all my good ale and wine. Throwing my dishes around and singing about it."

Ril smiled and stirred the boiling stew with the ladle. "Hmm, you must not be acquainted with many Dwarves."

"As if I would want to be!" retorted Bilbo, picking up a biscuit. He quite lost his appetite for meat stew after seeing Ril try to eat out of the pot.

"You're a funny Hobbit," said Ril. She reached up above her head and took out a bowl in a cabinet. A smile suddenly lit up her face. "A funny bunny!"

Bilbo stared at her. "A what?"

Ril giggled and scooped up the hot stew into the bowl. "A funny bunny! Though, you could also be a little bunny! Just look at you. You even eat like a bunny!"

Bilbo stopped nibbling on his biscuit. He was a bit self-conscious for some reason. "Why?"

Ril glanced at him as she grabbed a spoon. "Why what?"

"Why am I bunny again?"

Ril giggled again. "Because you're funny! And your food's really good!" She paused. "Can you look at the wall for a moment?"

Bilbo frowned (though he was happy with her compliment about his cooking). "Why?" The Hobbit had a feeling he would be asking 'why' a lot to this particular Dwarf. Ril pursed her lips as she stared solemnly at the stew.

"I haven't tried the stew, yet, Little Bunny, because I was busy eating all the seed cakes." Bilbo gaped at her in shock (and anger), but Ril didn't notice, her somber blue eyes gazing at the stew. "But I can't taste it while you're looking so I would appreciate it if you would look away."

Bilbo nearly threw his half-eaten biscuit on the floor. "You ate all my seed cakes? All 12 of them?" Ril continued to stare intensely at the stew. "And you can't ask me that. I still know you're going to taste the stew even when I'm not looking."

Ril stood there thoughtfully before nodding in agreement. "Very true, Little Bunny, very true." She looked at him. "Do you want to leave the kitchen then?"

Bilbo nearly ripped his curly hair out of his head. "I just wanted something to eat! Specifically, the stew!"

Ril stared at him. "I do, too."

"Yes, yes, you can have some stew," said Bilbo, completely exasperated. "But you have to use a separate bowl and spoon." He couldn't believe he had to tell someone this, least of all to a girl.

"Why?"

Bilbo nearly fell to the floor. "What do you mean why?!"

"You can just eat out of the—"

"Keep running your mouth like that, Ril, and my dinner will—"

"Oh! Hi, Papa!" cried Ril, turning around quickly, the biggest smile yet plastered on her face. Thorin stood by the entrance of the kitchen. His face was serious, but his eyes stated otherwise. "I really missed you!" Thorin managed a small smile as his daughter bounded towards him. "Here's your stew! I hope you like it! I didn't make it, but I hope you still like it!"

Thorin smirked and took the bowl from her. "In all honesty, I will enjoy any meal you do not cook." He walked back to the dining room while Ril smiled brightly.

"I agree!" She bounded after her father, leaving behind a tired (and dejected) Bilbo. He sighed and dragged his feet out of the kitchen, nibbling on his biscuit (like a bunny!).

In the dining room, Thorin was sitting again and was eating his stew. Gandalf sat beside him on his left while Ril sat between the wizard and Dwalin (she wanted to sit next to Fili and Kili, but Dwalin, Bifur, and Oin refused to move out of the way). There was small talk amongst the Dwarves as they waited patiently for Thorin to finish his meal.

Bilbo had half a mind to hide between the barrels in the cellar. He didn't know why the Dwarves were in his house at the moment, but he did know they didn't promise anything good. Still, as the host, Bilbo decided to hang around in case they thought of throwing his dishes around again or destroying things other than the plumbing. Or at least he tried to convince himself that was the reason why he wanted to listen to the Dwarves talk.

Gandalf looked at Bilbo, who walked quietly to a drawer behind the wizard and sat on top of it. His smile was hidden by his long, grey beard.

A few more minutes passed by. More small talk was exchanged. Mugs of ale were refilled (courteously by Bofur and Ril, who were the closest to the kitchen). Bombur ate more food (Bofur refused to get his brother more food because he didn't need to eat any more so Ril was forced to bring him more food). Bilbo, having finished his biscuit, listened to the Dwarves talk. He was surprised as they were different from the rowdy, boisterous folk during the party.

At last, Thorin finished his meal and pushed his bowl aside as the chatting came to an end. Bilbo sat up in his seat. Now it will begin. Whatever the Dwarves came to his house to talk about.

"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin?" asked Balin. "Did they all come?"

Thorin nodded. "Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms." The Dwarves collectively cheered and clapped.

"All of them!" exclaimed Balin happily.

"And what did the Dwarves of the Iron Hills say?" asked Dwalin. "Is Dain with us?"

Thorin exhaled deeply and looked down at the wooden table. "They will not come." The Dwarves muttered, groaned, and sighed their disappointment. "They say this quest is ours and ours alone."

"You're going on a quest?" asked Bilbo out of curiosity. The Dwarves glanced at the Hobbit as Gandalf took a map out of his cloak.

"Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light," said the wizard. Bilbo nodded and hopped off the drawer, fetching a candle. Gandalf straightened up as much he could without bumping into the ceiling and unfolded the map, placing it on the table. Thorin's eyes widened with interest as the rest of the Dwarves leaned in to get a closer look. "Far over to the east. . . Over ranges and rivers. . . Beyond woodlands and wastelands. . . Lies a single, solitary peak." Gandalf pointed to a mountain on the map.

Bilbo, holding a lighted candle, peered in close to read the map (he dearly loved maps). "The Lonely Mountain," he read.

Thorin nodded. "Erebor. That is our home. We now go to reclaim it and our wealth."

"Why do you have to reclaim your own home?" asked Bilbo.

"Because of the beast," answered Bofur, exhaling a puff of smoke from his wooden pipe. "Smaug the Terrible. Chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire-breather. Teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks. Extremely fond of precious metals."

Bilbo gulped. "Yes, I know what a dragon is."

Ori suddenly stood up from his seat. "I'm not afraid. I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of Dwarvish iron right up his jacksie!"

"Good lad, Ori," exclaimed Nori proudly.

"Sit down," said Dori, forcing his youngest brother back to his seat. All the Dwarves chuckled and smiled, except Balin, who shook his head.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us. . . But we number just 14. And not 14 of the best . . . nor brightest."

There was an angry (and loud) uproar amongst the Dwarves.

"Here, who are you calling dim?" asked Nori angrily.

"Sorry, what did he say?" asked Oin, grimacing as he held his hearing aid to his ear.

"We may be few in number," said Fili in a loud voice (for Oin). "But we're fighters, all of us, to the last Dwarf." He pounded his fist on the table to prove his point. Thorin smiled slightly as Dwalin nodded firmly in agreement.

"And you forget, we have a Wizard in our company," added Kili excitedly. "Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time." All the Dwarves looked at the wizard.

Gandalf raised his hand quickly. "Oh, well, no. I wouldn't say—"

"How many, then?" interrupted Dori.

"What?"

"Well, how many dragons have you killed?"

Gandalf began to cough and sputter uncomfortably.

"Go on, give us a number," prodded Dori.

The Dwarves erupted into an argument.

"Like you've killed any dragons!" shouted Dwalin, standing up from his seat and shaking his fist.

"The same could be said for you!" retorted Dori, standing up from his seat.

"So we should just forfeit the entire quest?" asked Nori.

"It doesn't matter if no one here killed a dragon!" shouted Fili, standing up.

"Let's just talk this out," suggested Bofur.

Bifur retorted something in Khuzdul, earning a sigh from the Dwarf with the floppy hat.

Ori stood up. "I'll give him a taste of Dwarvish—"

"He'll have a taste of you before you get iron anywhere near his jacksie," retorted Dori, pulling his brother down into his seat again.

"I'd rather be burned to ashes than live in a place that's not our real home!" shouted Gloin angrily.

"What he said!" agreed Oin (he always seems to understand whatever his brother says).

Bofur forced a smile. "The Blue Mountains aren't that bad—"

"You'll kill everyone with that mindset," said Balin calmly.

"If I had to die anywhere, it will be in Erebor!" shouted Dwalin.

Fili and Kili glanced nervously at each other before looking over at Ril, who was cringing as Dwalin nearly shouted in her ear.

"That is why fools—"

"Are you calling me a fool, brother?!"

"If need be—"

"Enough," said Thorin. "Enough." Everyone slowly sat down in their seats again as Gandalf exhaled deeply. "Balin, I know you have doubts about this quest. Even with an army from the Iron Hills, victory will be futile. I know. As does everyone here. But even then, I will choose each and every Dwarf here over an army. For when I called upon them, they answered. Loyalty. Honor. A willing heart. . . I can ask no more than that. From my grandfather to my father, the title of 'King under the Mountain' has come to me. I cannot sit back and allow the worm to plunder away our people's wealth. I will not allow it."

Everyone, even Balin, was silent as Thorin's words sunk in. Bilbo stood between him and Gandalf awkwardly, unsure if he should say something.

Ril leaned over to Gandalf and whispered into his ear. "Papa's really good at talking." Gandalf smiled and nodded.

"I understand, Thorin," sighed Balin. "But you forget. The Front Gate is the only entrance into Erebor. We cannot enter Erebor through there unless we want Smaug to find us out."

"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true," said Gandalf suddenly. Everyone turned to the wizard as he revealed a silver key from his sleeve.

Thorin seemed to recognize it. "How came you by this?" His voice was filled with awe.

Gandalf handed it to Thorin, who took it with obvious reverence. "Your grandfather Thror was killed in the mines of Moria by Azog the Defiler—"

"Curse his name," said the Dwarves all together.

"And Thrain your father went away on the 21st of April, a hundred years ago, and has never been seen by you since—"

"Yes, yes," said Thorin, a dark shadow crossing over his face.

"Thror had given this map and that key to his son for safety before he went to the mines of Moria," explained Gandalf slowly and grimly. "Thrain went away to try his luck with the map after Thror was killed. He never got near Erebor as misfortune and evil befell him. I found him as a prisoner in the dungeons of the Necromancer. How he got there, I do not know."

"The Necromancer?" repeated Thorin with a shudder as all the Dwarves shivered.

"So that is what happened to Thrain," said Balin, his voice filled with pain. He looked up at Gandalf. "Dwalin and I, along with a few other Dwarves, had accompanied Thrain on his journey to see Erebor once again. We had lost him at the edge of Mirkwood. We searched and searched but couldn't find him so we returned to Ered Luin."

Gandalf nodded grimly. "I tried to save Thrain, but even I, Gandalf, only just escaped. He was witless and wandering, and had forgotten almost everything except the map and key."

"We have long paid the Goblins of Moria," said Thorin darkly. "We must give a thought to the Necromancer."

"Don't be absurd!" replied Gandalf quickly. "He is an enemy well beyond the power of the Dwarves put together. Stay away from the Necromancer. Your father only wanted you to read the map and use the key. Smaug and the Mountain are more than big enough tasks for you."

There was silence for a moment in the dining room. Thorin was lost in deep thought, holding onto the key tightly.

Fili turned to Gandalf. "So what does the key unlock?"

The wizard nodded. "These runes on the map speak of a hidden passage to the Lower Halls. The key unlocks it."

Thorin's eyes widened. "A hidden door? I long suspected there was one. On the day Smaug took Erebor, only a few Dwarves had survived. I was luckily outside of the Mountain along with others. Those inside the Mountain did not escape alive as Smaug devoured them. I feared my grandfather and father did not survive, but they fled out of Erebor with their beards singed. I asked them how they escaped, but they never told me, saying to wait until the time was right."

"Now we all know there was a hidden door built into the mountain that only Thror and Thrain knew of," said Gandalf. "It is unfortunate that I do not know where it is. Dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies somewhere hidden in this map, and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-Earth who can."

"The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth," continued Gandalf, "and no small amount of courage. But if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done. I have tried looking for warriors and heroes; but warriors are off fighting in distant lands and, in this neighborhood, heroes are scarce or simply not to be found. Swords in these parts are mostly blunt, and axes are used for trees, and shields as cradles or dish-covers. And dragons are comfortably far-off. That is why I settled on burglary—especially when I remembered the existence of a side-door. And Bilbo Baggins will be our burglar!"

Bilbo stared at him.

"The Hobbit! A burglar!" shouted Gloin. "We have come to the wrong house!" Bilbo nodded in agreement.

"Me? No, no, no. I'm not a burglar. I've never stolen a thing in my life," said Bilbo.

"He won't survive in the Wild," added Dwalin. "It's no place for gentle folk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves." Bilbo nodded in agreement.

"He's just fine!" retorted Kili. "I think he'll do great." Bilbo shook his head in disagreement.

"We should give him a chance," added Ori meekly. Bilbo shook his head in disagreement.

"He'd soon give us away to the dragon before stealing anything," said Dori. Bilbo nodded in agreement.

"Aye! He'll lose his wits before reaching Erebor!" shouted Gloin. Bilbo's eyes widened. Now, that he wasn't so sure of. . .

"But he's an expert!" retorted Oin. Bilbo shook his head. Now, that he was sure of. . .

"Let's have no more argument," said Gandalf suddenly. His voice was stern and harsh. "I have chosen Mr. Baggins as the 15th member of this company and that ought to be enough for all of you. If I say he is a burglar, then a burglar he is, or will be when the time comes. Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact they can pass unseen by most, if they choose. And, while the Dragon is accustomed to the smell of Dwarf, the scent of a Hobbit is all but unknown to him which gives us a distinct advantage."

Bilbo raised his hands. "N-no, Gandalf, I'm not—"

"You asked me to find the 15th member of this company and I have chosen Mr. Baggins," interrupted the wizard. "There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest. And he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know." Gandalf glanced at Bilbo thoughtfully. "Including himself." He turned to Thorin. "You must trust me on this."

Thorin was silent for a moment before nodding solemnly. "Very well. This is a quest only you, an ingenious wizard, may return from. I will trust your judgment." Gandalf sighed in relief and nodded.

"N-no. No, no," stammered Bilbo. He may not return home?!

"Give him the contract," said Thorin to Balin.

"We're in. We're off," said Bofur happily as Balin stood up, holding the long contract in hand.

"It's just the usual. Summary of out-of-pocket expenses. . . Time required, remuneration. . . funeral arrangements, so forth," explained Balin, handing the contract to Thorin, who gave it to Bilbo. The Hobbit took the paper with trembling hands.

"Funeral arrangements?" Bilbo read through the contract, wandering into the hallway.

"Can I get a contract, too?" asked Ril to her father. She smiled. "I want to sign something."

"Don't be silly," replied Thorin simply. Ril pouted.

"'Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one-fourteenth of total profit, if any'." Bilbo nodded. "Hmm. Seems fair."

"One-fourteenth?" asked Ril with widened eyes. "But there's fifteen of us."

"My share will be your share," explained Thorin quickly.

"Oh."

"'Present company shall not be liable for injuries afflicted by . . . or sustained as a consequence thereof, including but not limited to lacerations'. . ." Bilbo's eyes widened at that dreadful word. Gandalf froze and glanced at the Hobbit quickly.

"He's not thinking he won't be unscathed by the end of the journey, right?" asked Nori. "It's terrible business out there."

"'Evisceration'. . ." muttered Bilbo. At the next word, he turned to the Dwarves and Gandalf. "'Incineration'?"

"Incineration?" repeated Ori in a meek voice.

"Aye. He'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye," explained Bofur honestly. Bilbo exhaled nervously and closed the contract. 'Melt the flesh off bones in the blink of an eye'?

Balin looked at the Hobbit with concern. "You all right, laddie?"

Kili leaned over to Fili and whispered into his ear. "He should be asking that to Ori." Fili nodded as Ori turned pale.

"Huh?" stammered Bilbo. "Yeah." He put his hands on his knees, trying to control his troubled breathing. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. "Feel a bit faint." The Hobbit tried to stand up, but felt wheezy.

Bofur stood up, completely amused. "Think furnace with wings."

Bilbo didn't like that thought.

He placed his hands on his hips. "I need air."

Bofur was too amused. "Flash of light, searing pain, then poof. You're nothing more than a pile of ash."

Bilbo promptly fainted.

Gandalf stood up from his seat as a few of the Dwarves snorted and shook their heads. "Very helpful, Bofur." Bofur smiled sheepishly and walked to the Hobbit.

"It's alright, Ori," said Dori comfortingly. "Here, drink some ale." He handed his youngest brother a mug of ale. Ori drank the ale, his eyes still wide with fright.

"Well, he took that very well," said Bofur, trying to lift the Hobbit. "Someone help me. He's a lot heavier than he looks." Dwalin nudged Ril's arm.

"Go," he said.

"Me?" she squeaked.

"You're the closest," said Fili. Ril sighed and stood up, scooting past Gandalf and helped Bofur carry Bilbo into the living room.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" asked Kili. "I'd hate to lose our burglar before we even started the quest."

"We'll have to see," answered Balin. He turned to Thorin. "I think that's as far as we can plan for the quest today."

Thorin nodded. "With or without Master Baggins, we'll start our journey tomorrow morning. We'll return to the Green Dragon Inn at Bywater at 10 AM and continue on our way at 11."

"With or without?" asked Gandalf. "Do not worry! Bilbo will be there." The wizard made his way to the living room, picking up Bilbo's fallen contract first.

"You may trust Gandalf's judgment, but I am doubtful," said Balin.

Dwalin nodded. "He is weak." Thorin sighed and shook his head.

"We wouldn't even be on this journey without Gandalf's help. I will trust him." He turned to Gloin. "Did you bring the money?"

"Aye," replied Gloin. "It will be enough to buy supplies at Bywater."

"We also left the ponies there," added Kili. Thorin nodded.

"Get some sleep, all of you." With that, the king-in-exile stood up from his seat. The others (except, Bombur, who was still eating) scrambled to their feet to do the same.

"Thorin, let's talk for a moment," said Balin. Thorin glanced at his childhood friend and nodded. They walked down the hallway, away from the curious ears of the other Dwarves. Balin sat down in a chair with a heavy sigh while Thorin stood across from him, leaning against the wall.

"The revelation of Thrain's fate has troubled me," said Balin. Thorin lowered his eyes. "I can't put into words the evil that befell our company before we lost your father. And yet, you set out on the same journey. I fear you'll meet a similar fate."

"Do you fear the Necromancer?" asked Thorin.

"There is more evil in this world than just the Necromancer. There are forces that will try to get in your way. It is a dangerous world out there."

Thorin smiled darkly. "I know that better than anyone."

"I don't want Thrain's fate to befall upon you, Thorin. You don't have to do this. You've done honorably by our people. Against all odds, you have built a new life for us in the Blue Mountains. A life of peace and plenty. A life that is worth more than all the gold in Erebor."

"It is the same argument from before, Balin. You know what I will say."

"But it is different now. We know what happened to your father. He, who went on the same journey as you are about to undertake, became captive to the Necromancer. What will happen if such a terrible enemy crossed our path? What will happen to our people in the Blue Mountains? We will be kingless."

"I cannot guarantee my own safety, but you cannot guarantee that my fate will be the same as my—"

"We will be a ruined people if you risk your life now. You became king at a young age, but Fili is even younger. He is your heir, but I'm afraid he is not ready to be burdened by the responsibilities of a king."

Thorin's gaze softened. "You know I do not want Fili to become a man burdened by the cruelties of life like myself. But I cannot forfeit this journey."

"At least for Fili's sake put this journey on hold. Wait until he has matured and grown more in both strength and wisdom."

"Balin."

"Or leave him in Ered Luin. With Kili and Ril. They are the new hope of our people. Even if we are to go on a perilous journey to Erebor, they should be kept out of harm's way."

"I made a promise, Balin. I will reclaim Erebor."

"Thorin—"

"The embers in my heart are burning. With rage. With vengeance. I can't live another day with the thought of that worm claiming the heirloom of my house. Our people's blood and bones cry out for justice."

"Thorin. What happened in Erebor, what has happened to our people, let it be. Do not give up this happiness for something so uncertain."

"My grandfather and father dreamt of the day when the Dwarves of Erebor would reclaim their homeland. There is no choice. Not for me."

Balin sighed deeply and nodded. "I know, Thorin, I know. But at least leave the laddies and lass behind. Fili and Kili are strong warriors, but they are young. I don't even have to mention Ril. It is too dangerous."

"We were even younger in Moria, Balin. This will never compare."

Balin's face darkened. "I know."

"You can try to convince them if you want. But they are of the line of Durin. It will not be easy."

Balin smiled and shook his head. "They are as reckless and foolhardy and stubborn as you. I will not try. It will be pointless." Thorin smiled at the thought of his nephews and daughter.

"I have thought through this, Balin." Thorin's smile faltered. "You know I will not let evil befall them."

Balin patted his shoulder firmly. "Mahal forbid that day will ever come." He nodded. "We are with you, laddie. We will see it done."

* * *

"Have you come to, Master Hobbit?" asked Bofur, looking at Bilbo with concern. Bilbo groaned and rubbed his face.

"What happened?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

"You fell to the floor like a rabbit before a wolf, Little Bunny!" answered Ril. "Are you OK?" Bofur glanced at the girl.

"Little Bunny? You've already given him a nickname?"

Ril nodded. "He was just eating a biscuit so cutely! I had to call him that."

Bofur chuckled. "You must be very special, Bilbo. It took her 2 weeks to call me "Floppy Ears Rabbit" and I was the nicest one of the bunch."

Ril shook her head. "Bombur was better."

Bofur frowned. "What? But I even taught you how to play the flute!"

Ril smiled. "But Bombur is better at cooking!"

"Your incessant talking will bother the Hobbit," chided Dori, holding a tray with a mug of steaming tea. He walked towards Bilbo.

"Oh, be quiet, you mothering hen," said Bofur with a grin. Ril giggled. Dori sighed and handed the mug of tea to Bilbo.

"That should calm your nerves." Bilbo took the mug gratefully.

"Thank you," he said, sipping the tea.

"Ori is just the same as you," said Dori with a smile. "He quite fainted when he learned about Smaug." Bilbo choked on his tea.

Bofur quickly patted his back. "_Your_ talking will give him a heart attack."

"If it is all right, my dear Dwarves, I will like to speak with Bilbo alone," said Gandalf, standing by the entrance to the living room.

"Oh, hi, Pointy Ear Rabbit!" said Ril happily. She stood up from the carpet where she was sitting cross-legged. Ril tugged at Bofur's jerkin. "Come on now." Bofur smiled at Bilbo before allowing Ril to drag him out of the room.

"Can't you walk?" complained Ril.

Bofur shook his head. "You can just drag me out. I have no strength in my legs." Ril laughed her way out of the living room.

Dori shook his head. "Silly Dwarves."

"We heard that!" cried Bofur and Ril together, laughing hysterically. Dori sighed and nodded at both Bilbo and Gandalf before leaving the room.

"I told you they were a merry gathering," said Gandalf with a smile. He sat across from Bilbo.

"Once I get used to them," replied Bilbo. "I'm not quite sure, yet, though."

"Tell me, my dear Bilbo, did you listen the entire time the Dwarves were talking?"

Bilbo paused. "Yes, but only because they were my guests."

"Why did you listen to them talk?"

"They had a nice map."

"Other than that."

Bilbo sighed and allowed the mug to warm his hands. "My Tookish side won over. Stories of adventure and danger always made me curious."

"Those were the kinds of the stories you loves as a child, did you not? The world outside the Shire. I remember Old Took's Midsummer's Eve parties. All the other Hobbit children were afraid of my fireworks (they hadn't seen anything like it before), but you stayed right there and laughed and had a good time." Gandalf raised an eyebrow. "You became interested in maps in the first place because of your longing for adventure."

"Adventure, not danger. Big difference."

"Well, tell me any adventure where danger is never involved. It is those stories with the greatest risks that are remembered. Why? Because we all want to see how the hero overcomes those trials and difficulties. Needless to say, my dear fellow, I would like to see how you overcome the dangers in this quest. I believe you have potential."

"That's my problem, Gandalf. I don't believe in myself. Becoming a burglar? Stealing from a dragon? Who's to say I won't faint at first glance of the dragon like I just did a moment ago?"

"Only you can say for certain. Do not worry! There is quite a distance from the Shire to the Lonely Mountain. People can change, for good or for worse."

"What if I, what if I change for the worse?"

"I cannot say. That is your own personal journey, Bilbo." The Hobbit was silent. "The world is not in your books and maps. It's out there. A land filled with wonders and excitement you cannot find here in the peaceful and quiet Shire."

"I don't know, Gandalf. I think you have the wrong fellow."

Gandalf sighed. "Or you can remain the Hobbit who pales at the sight of Dwarves on his doorstep and bobs and huffs on the doormat. You can allow those Dwarves to believe they have come to the wrong house in search of the wrong companion."

Bilbo grew red in the face. "'Bob and huff on the doormat'? 'Pales at the sight of Dwarves'? As soon as I saw their funny faces on the doorstep, I had my doubts. But treat it as the right one. Tell me what you want done, and I will try it. If I have to venture out of my own home to a faraway land, I will. If I have to steal from the very nose of a dragon, I will!"

Gandalf smiled. "You just need to sign the contract." The wizard held out the piece of paper and a quill pen dipped in ink. Bilbo took them with an annoyed huff and signed his name on the line.

"'Pales at the sight of Dwarves'," he muttered. "Me, of all Hobbits? I'll have you know that I had a great-great-great-granduncle once, Bullroarer Took, and—"

"And that he was so large that he could ride a real horse?" finished Gandalf, who took the signed contract from Bilbo. "And that he charged the ranks of the goblins of Mount Gram in the Battle of the Green Fields, and knocked their king Golfimbul's head clean off with a wooden club? And that it sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit-hole? And that in this way the battle was won and the game of Golf invented at the same time?"

Bilbo smiled proudly (though he was a bit annoyed that the wizard told the story instead). "Yes, exactly!"

"And I dearly hope you can continue your great-great-great-granduncle's legacy, my dear Hobbit! You'll have a tale or two to tell of your own when you come back."

Bilbo paled. "'When I come back'? It feels more like 'if I come back'."

"That will be determined solely by you." Gandalf stood up, patting Bilbo's shoulder. "It will be a long day tomorrow. A good night's sleep will help you."

Bilbo stood up and placed his mug on the table. "I quite don't know what I just got myself into. I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight."

Gandalf chuckled. "I don't know if any of the Dwarves will be able to catch you if you fall off the pony, Bilbo. Try to sleep if you can!"

Bilbo nodded and left the living room, heading for his room. Right now, he needed his bed. His legs began to weaken as he realized the trouble he landed himself in. And in a moment of rage, too!"

_Bilbo, you were a fool; you walked right in and put your foot in it_, thought Bilbo to himself. He did know he was not going to bother to wake up in the morning. He didn't want to cook the Dwarves breakfast. And he wasn't quite sure now that he wanted to go on a journey in the morning.

* * *

"I think the eldest should sleep on the beds. Poor back and all."

"I think we should draw straws."

"I vote for the eldest."

"I vote for the youngest."

"What's the problem?" asked Thorin, walking into the living room with Balin. The Dwarves turned around.

"We're determining who gets to sleep in the bedrooms and on the sofa and the floor," replied Fili. "So far we haven't decided anything."

"Balin and Oin should sleep in the bedrooms," stated Ori. "They are one of the oldest here."

"Papa, too!" added Ril. "He gets the best room!"

"I think the young ones can sleep on the sofa," said Balin with a smile. "The land is wild. Let the elderly ones sleep in comfort tonight."

This was not well-received by the younger generation.

"But I'm a girl!" cried Ril, pouting.

"You are a boy now, remember?" said Dwalin.

"We're going to do a lot of the hard labor," said Kili. "We should be given some privileges.

"I can't sleep on the floor. My back will hurt," said Fili.

Thorin sighed. "How many bedrooms are there?"

"Excluding Bilbo's, four," replied Nori. "They're all facing the west. Very nice view. Bag End will be worth a lot in the market."

"I do not care for a bed," said Thorin. "Balin, Dwalin, Oin, and Gloin can sleep in the rooms. Everyone else, on the floor."

"No, I will sleep out here," said Dwalin.

"Ril should sleep on a bed," said Balin. "She may be dressed as a boy, but she is still a girl."

Ril shook her head, smiling. "It's OK! I'll sleep on the floor!" Thorin sighed and shook his head.

"Then maybe Bifur or Bombur could take Dwalin's place," suggest Bofur.

Balin nodded. "If no one else has complaints."

"Well, my clothing will get wrinkled, but I'll be alright," said Dori, already laying a blanket on a sofa.

"In my life, I never slept on a bed," chuckled Nori. Ori spread out his blanket on an armchair.

"I always slept in a bed, but, uh, first time for everything!" he said, earning a smile from his older brother.

Bifur said something in Khuzdul.

Bofur nodded. "Alright, Bombur gets the bed. He'll take up less space, too." The other Dwarves chuckled. Balin, Oin, Gloin, and Bombur (who Bofur had to wrestle food from—don't want cockroaches in Bilbo's room!) made their way to the bedrooms while everyone else slept in the living room. Bifur and Dori took over the sofas after offering one to Thorin, who declined. Ril was closest to the fireplace (she got cold easily) and Thorin, Fili, Kili, Dwalin, and Nori were beside her. Bofur and Ori settled down on the armchairs.

The fire was low and the house quiet as everyone tried to sleep. In less than an hour, Kili and Ril were the only ones fast asleep (they could sleep anywhere).

"I wish I could sleep like them," whispered Ori.

"Stop talking and you will," replied Dori quietly.

"It's a new environment," added Ori. "It makes me nervous."

"At least they're not snoring," said Fili. He glanced over at Kili and smiled. "Then we really can't fall asleep." Fili turned to Thorin, who was staring up at the ceiling.

"Sleep, Fili," he said quietly. Fili and grinned and settled down.

"Kili's about to snore and kick and Ril's going to sleep sideways. You should fall asleep before then."

"Nori, switch places with me," whispered Dwalin.

"Why?" asked Nori. "I like my spot."

"I don't mind snoring, but I can't stand kicking," answered Dwalin.

"As if I could," retorted Nori. "You're the warrior. You can take a few kicks."

Dwalin snorted. "Not Kili's."

"More of a reason for me not to switch with you," said Nori with a smirk.

"Thief."

"Mad cow."

"Elf-friend."

"Beardless."

"Be quiet. Bofur and Bifur are sleeping," said Dori. "And my brother is not a thief or an elf-friend."

"Four down, six to go," whispered Fili.

"Should we sing lullabies?" offered Ori.

"I vote for Thorin," said Dwalin with a smirk. Thorin shook his head.

"We might wake the others up," said Dori. "Just close your eyes and sleep."

There was a pause.

"It's hard," said Ori. "I'm nervous."

"We are sleeping," said Dori. "There's nothing to be nervous about."

"It's not home."

There was a pause.

"Ered Luin wasn't our home either," said Thorin, closing his eyes. "Not our real home."

There was silence for a moment, and Fili glanced over at his uncle. Thorin's eyes were still closed, but Fili knew he wasn't sleeping.

"Sleep, Fili," muttered Thorin. The blonde-haired Dwarf nodded and smiled sadly.

"I will," he replied. "I will."

**A/N: Longest chapter yet! It was hard writing the beginning, but it was so easy writing from the middle to the end.**

**P.S. I apologize for Ril's personality in this chapter if it was off-putting and awkward for some people. There's a reason why, though, but it's not serious or sad! You just have to wait a bit to find out.**

**P.P.S. I just love that last scene where it's all dark and the Dwarves are whispering to each other. Just imagine that in your head. It's hilarious. They're like little kids who're supposed to be sleeping, but stay up late without the adults knowing.**


	5. A Hand to Hold

**Our Long-Forgotten Gold**

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for reading my story! Wow, this story has been viewed over a thousand times. I'm so happy! I really appreciate you all reading my story. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 5: A Hand to Hold**

_65 years earlier (2876), the Blue Mountains (Ered Luin)_

"Is he sleeping?" asked Kili from behind a large tree.

Fili shrugged. "I can't tell from here."

Ril, who was holding onto the bottom of Fili's shirt with one hand and clutching a rabbit doll with the other, peeked out from behind her oldest cousin. "He's snoring. Really loudly."

"I think he's sleeping then," said Fili.

"Go see," said Kili, elbowing his brother in the ribs.

Fili frowned. "Why me?"

"Because you're the oldest."

"That means you're the bravest!" added Ril with a smile.

Fili sighed. Being the oldest had its advantages and disadvantages. He was facing the disadvantages at the moment (maintaining his reputation as the intelligent and courageous one). Releasing Ril's grip on his shirt, Fili walked over to Oin, who was sleeping (or seemed to be sleeping) underneath a tree across from them. He held his hearing aid in one hand. Fili held his breath and approached the elderly Dwarf with careful steps. He was snoring quite heavily which helped relieve Fili's nerves. Before he could run away, Fili waved his hand in front of Oin's face. He didn't stir. Holding in his laughter, the blonde-haired Dwarfling ran back to his brother and cousin.

"He's sleeping. He won't wake up for a while. Come on, let's go!" Kili and Ril exchanged grins and followed Fili, who led them away.

Since it was a nice summer day, Dis had allowed the Dwarflings to play outside their mountain home of Ered Luin. She was able to ensnare Oin before he could escape (Balin, Dwalin, Gloin, Dori, and Ori predicted her move beforehand and avoided seeing her—they even skipped breakfast) and forced him to be their babysitter for the day while she attended to work inside the stone halls. Fili, Kili, and Ril liked Oin for two good reasons. One, he was kind and nice to them. Second, he was old and had hearing problems. In fact, Oin was one of their three favorite babysitters (the other two were Dwalin, who was easy to trick, and Dori, who was fun to play pranks on).

The Dwarflings were bored, though. They had nothing to play with. Thorin had taken away Fili and Kili's toys after they fought over who gets to play with what, and Ril only had stuffed animals that the boys will never play with (Ril didn't understand their predicament). The Dwarflings weren't even allowed to go to the creek because Mr. Oin was old and wanted to stay close to home. Fili suggested they take a brief walk to the northern woods where the creek was, find a couple of toads, and then hurry back before Dis finds out they went missing (they concluded Oin will not wake up before then).

Fili noticed Ril was stumbling against the thick, protruding roots of the trees and grabbed hold of her hand, helping her along. Kili walked beside him, a large grin on his face. They successfully passed unnoticed by the adults and home was behind them.

"I'm gonna catch a toad this big!" declared Kili, emphasizing "big" with his outstretched arms.

"I'm gonna catch a bunny!' said Ril, waving her brown rabbit doll in the air.

"Good luck with that," snorted Fili. He looked down at his cousin, who only smiled. She thought he was being sincere.

"I don't think Uncle Thorin will let you keep it," said Kili, kicking a stone. "We're not allowed to have pets."

"What about all your toads, Kili?" asked Ril. "Where'd you put all of them?" Fili and Kili exchanged grins before the dark-haired Dwarfling cleared his throat.

"A secret place," he replied.

Ril's eyes widened. "Can I know?" She raised her rabbit doll. "So I can keep my bunny there?"

"It's a secret place," said Fili. "So we can't tell you or it won't be a secret anymore."

"Oh."

"I'm hungry!" said Kili. "Couldn't we eat before leaving?"

Ril tugged on Fili's hand. "I'm really hungry, too!"

"If we ate our midday meal before, we wouldn't be able to go to the creek," said Fili.

"Can we eat after?" asked Kili. "Won't Mama and Uncle Thorin be mad at us?"

"That's only if we don't come back on time," Fili replied with a grin.

"But I'm really hungry," said Ril. "And I miss Papa."

"You're always hungry. And you always miss Uncle Thorin."

"Hey! We're almost at the creek!" said Kili. He ran ahead of his brother and cousin. Ril also started to run, but Fili held her back.

"You're gonna trip," he said. Ril pouted. "Kili, wait for us!" Kili stopped running and turned around, walking backwards now.

"I'm gonna get there first!" He grinned. "You guys are slow!" Fili sighed and shook his head when Kili suddenly froze.

Fili and Ril continued walking. "What's the matter, Kili?" asked Ril, swinging her rabbit doll.

Fili frowned. "What's wrong?" Kili turned pale and slowly raised his hand, pointing behind his brother and cousin. Fili's brow furrowed together, and he glanced behind them. Ril also turned around when a bright smile appeared on her face.

"He looks like my bear at home!" she said.

Fili felt his body turn cold. A giant brown bear was walking behind them. Where he came from, the Dwarfling didn't know. The bear seemed to sniff the air and stopped walking for a moment.

"Don't move," whispered Fili to Kili and Ril.

Ril looked up at Fili. "Why?" Fili tightened his grip on her hand, silencing her. Fili and Kili felt shivers climb up their spines when the giant bear turned to them, his beady black eyes taking in their appearance.

No one moved.

Fili slowly moved his hand back, and Kili grabbed his brother's hand.

"Why's it staring at us?" asked Ril. Fili motioned for her to be quiet. The bear was still looking at them. It seemed to be determining if they were foe, friend, or prey. Fili dearly wished they were friends.

There was a loud rustling in the trees as a bird suddenly flew into the air, screeching. The three Dwarflings jumped in surprise at the sudden noise in the silence. Fili glared at the bird.

"What the—"

"RUN!" screamed Kili, pulling on his brother's hand. Fili's eyes widened in fear and his knees were locked into place. The bear was charging at them at an alarming speed. Ril let out an ear-piercing scream, jerking Fili to attention. He quickly led his brother and cousin farther into the woods.

"STUPID BIRD!" he shouted as the bear roared behind them, trampling over trees and roots. Fili dared to look behind him and regretted it. The bear was almost onto them. The blonde-haired boy looked around his surroundings and noticed a narrow cave in the side of the mountain.

"In there!" The Dwarflings took a sharp left, and the bear collided with a tree, his teeth snapping and snarling. They made it to the small cave, too small for the bear, and Fili pushed Ril in first. The little girl, crying and whimpering, crawled inside, still clutching her doll tightly. Fili pushed Kili inside next and looked behind him. The bear recovered and was now charging at them again.

"HURRY! HURRY!" screamed Fili, helping his younger brother go inside. He then crawled into the cave as the bear swiped his large paw at the space Fili was just standing in.

"Move! Move!" he shouted as the bear suddenly clawed at the cave entrance, narrowly missing Fili's leg. Kili grabbed his older brother by the shoulder and pulled him farther into the cave.

"Go away!" shouted Ril, hitting the bear's paw with her rabbit doll. "Leave Fili alone!" Fili's eyes widened in fear as the bear swiped again.

"RIL! NO! GET BACK!" He grabbed his cousin. The bear's claw scraped against her arm as Fili pulled her back. Ril screamed in pain and dropped her rabbit doll. The now bloodied paw of the bear swiped again and snatched the fallen doll. The sound of tearing could be heard with Ril's screaming and crying.

Fili quickly pushed her behind him as the bear began to thrash against the side of the mountain. The small cave shook and trembled and loose pieces of rock pelted the Dwarflings. They held onto each other, crying, as it felt like the whole mountain was going to crash down on them.

"Fili!" cried Kili. "I'm scared!" Fili held onto his brother and cousin and closed his eyes as tears streamed down his face.

* * *

Oin jumped awake, completely startled at the faint echo of a scream. He quickly grabbed his hearing aid and lifted it to his ear. The screams sounded clearer and seemed to be coming from the north. Oin stood up.

"That doesn't sound good," he said, looking around the clearing. "I should take the Dwarflings inside." Oin frowned. There was no sight of them.

"Fili! Kili! Ril!" No answer. Oin's heart began to thump wildly as dread overcame him. "That wasn't them. . . That wasn't them. . . Oh! Curse you, Oin! You fell asleep and now looked what happened!" The white-haired Dwarfling sprinted back to the mountain halls as fast as he could.

"HELP! HELP! THORIN! THE DWARFLINGS!"

* * *

Fili opened his eyes as the sound of the mountain falling down on them diminished. In the darkness, he heard the bear grunt and grumble before snorting. It seemed to leave, but Fili didn't dare move to the entrance. There was a faint bit of light, but a pile of rocks blocked a large amount of the hole leading into the cave.

"Kili? Ril?" he asked, coughing as his throat was filled with debris. Fili brushed off the rocks on top of his brother and cousin, who were hunched over.

"Is he gone?" whispered Kili. Fili could faintly make out his brother's face. There seemed to be a small bruise on the side of his face and a cut on his forehead. Fili grimaced at the sight, but nodded.

"I think the bear's gone." Fili felt fear strangle his chest as he gently shook his cousin's shoulder. Ril whimpered. "Can you sit up, Ril?" The girl sniffled and raised her head. Other than her left arm, which was profusely bleeding, she looked unharmed as Fili and Kili took the brunt of the pelting from the rocks.

"It hurts, Fili," she cried, trying to dry her tears. Fili felt tears sting his own eyes as he tried to remember what Mr. Oin did whenever they got hurt.

"What did he do?" he muttered to himself.

"Who did what?" asked Kili, clearing his throat.

"Mr. Oin. You know, whenever we got hurt."

"Well, he always puts that thing on us. What was it? Ointment?"

Fili nodded. "I remember that. But we don't have any with us."

"He did cover it, too. With a bandage."

"We don't have that either. And I remember that it should be clean so we can't use our shirts. They're too dirty."

"Then what do we do?"

Fili turned around and crawled to the entrance.

Kili grabbed his brother's ankle. "What if the bear's still there?"

Fili shook his brother off of him. "I don't care about that stupid bear." He started to tug at the rocks to little success. Fili frowned and tugged harder. A large rock came loosed and he tossed it aside. "I could care less." Fili grabbed another rock and pulled. It was too heavy for him.

"Fili."

The blonde-haired Dwarfling pounded his closed fist against the rock as tears fell from his eyes.

"It's all my fault! It's all my fault. . . Ril got hurt and you got hurt and-and now we're stuck he-here. And there's a stupid bear. And we're gonna die in here and it's all my fault!"

Fili lowered his head, his fists digging into the dirt. His whole body wracked with heavy sobs. "I-I don't deserve to be the oldest. I was t-too stupid and got us into this mess. I hate being the oldest."

A hand suddenly patted Fili's shoulder. Fili froze and glanced behind him. Kili smiled. Fili stared at him with tears falling from his motionless eyes.

"It's OK, Fili. It's OK."

Kili crawled beside him and tugged at the rocks to the same success as his brother. "We just need to dig our way out. We'll be OK."

Fili stared at his brother for a moment before drying his eyes. "Right." He glanced behind him as Ril sat on the ground, her knees drawn to her chest. "Don't move your arm, Ril." The little girl nodded, sniffling. Fili returned his attention to the pile of rocks before them. "They're too heavy. We can't move them."

Kili struggled to pull out a rock. "Let's at least try. Do you think Uncle Thorin knows we're missing now?"

"Papa?" asked Ril in a tiny voice.

"I don't blame him if he leaves us," replied Fili. "We did disobey him."

Kili shook his head. "I think he'll come. Then he'll move these rocks away for us. With Mr. Dwalin and Mr. Balin and Mr. Oin and Mr. Gloin and Mr. Dori." He paused. "Oh, and Ori.'

Fili stared at his brother before nodding. "Yeah. Yeah, they will."

* * *

Thorin took a deep drink from a mug filled with cold water. It was sweltering hot in the forge as the Dwarves made swords and other weapons deep within the halls of Ered Luin. Thorin placed the mug on the table as Dwalin glanced at him. He held a hammer in his hand and a newly made sword in the other.

"And that's the 100th sword today," said Dwalin. He placed the sword down on a table and stretched his muscular arms. "50 more to go."

Thorin nodded and picked up his hammer again. "We'll finish these tonight and leave early in the morning tomorrow." Gloin grimaced as he placed a blade in water. Steam hissed as hot met cold.

"Do I have to accompany you?" he asked. Dwalin chuckled.

"Why? Do you want to stay at home with the missus?" Gloin laughed heartily as Thorin picked up his half-finished sword.

"Well, if you have a wife with half a fine beard as mine—"

"THORIN!" shouted Oin, running into the forge. Thorin looked up and frowned.

"What's the matter with you, brother?" asked Gloin loudly.

"They're missing! The Dwarflings are missing!" replied Oin. Thorin dropped his hammer and the sword. They clattered against the stone floor.

"What?! What happened?!" asked Dwalin. "How did you lose them?!" Oin was about to answer, but Thorin suddenly ran out of the forge. Dwalin also dropped his hammer (not before scowling at Oin) and followed Thorin. Oin took a breather as Gloin clasped his older brother's shoulder reassuringly. The two brothers ran after Thorin and Dwalin, passing by curious Dwarves.

"Where did you last see them?" asked Thorin.

"In the woods just outside," replied Oin. He had a hard time running and holding his hearing aid to his ear at the same time. "I fell asleep and woke up at the faint sound of screaming. Yes, it was screaming! I think it was the little lass!" Thorin scowled as he ran past the dining hall.

"How could you lose them?!" snarled Dwalin, turning on Oin. Gloin stepped in front of his brother. "They're little devils, but even then—"

"Thorin!" Everyone stopped running as Dis ran out of the kitchen. "What on earth is going on?" Thorin glanced at his sister before turning to Dwalin.

"Grab my sword." Dwalin nodded and ran down another hallway, his heavy footsteps resounding loudly.

"Thorin," repeated Dis.

"Gather everyone together. Form search parties," said Thorin to Gloin.

"Aye," replied Gloin. He patted Oin's shoulder and sped down the hall, shouting in Khuzdul.

"Search parties?" asked Dis, looking at Gloin, who disappeared around the corner. Other Dwarves looked bewilderedly at Thorin. Dis's eyes widened when she saw Oin. "Oin, what are you—" Dis grabbed Thorin's arm. "Where the children? Where are they?!"

"Where did you hear the screaming?" asked Thorin to Oin.

"Screaming?!" asked Dis in a shrill voice.

Oin looked at her with sorrowful eyes. "From the north. Yes, the north it was." Thorin glanced at his sister, who was trembling with fear. He grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Listen to me. Dis, listen to me." She looked up at him with such pained eyes it broke his heart. Thorin took a deep breath. "You must stay calm. Panicking will not help the situation." Dis slowly nodded as Dwalin appeared again, holding his sword and Thorin's. Thorin took his sword and began to run to the entrance again. Dis, Dwalin, and Oin followed him as the sound of the rest of the Dwarves assembling echoed throughout the mountain hall.

"Thorin! What happened?" asked Balin. The white-haired Dwarf appeared from the library and still wore his spectacles. Behind him trailed a nervous looking Ori.

"The children are missing," replied Thorin. Balin's eyes widened and Ori seemed like he was going to faint. "I need you to lead a search party. I'll go to the northern woods and you'll go east."

Balin nodded and ran beside Thorin as they all stepped outside. Night was already falling and Thorin grimaced.

"It's getting dark," said Dwalin. "We need torches." The sound of footsteps resounded as Gloin appeared with a group of 30 adult Dwarves, a frazzled Dori among them.

"They're everyone who can leave right now!" said Gloin, standing beside Oin.

"_'Who can leave_'?" shouted Dwalin. "Get everyone here!" He turned to the rest of the Dwarves. "Do you know who's missing?! Bring everyone!" The Dwarves shifted uncomfortably and glanced at each other.

"No," said Thorin. "We can't leave Ered Luin undefended. We don't know who's out there."

"And we can't waste any more time," said Balin. "They've probably been missing since noon. They're lost or worse." Dori walked to his youngest brother.

"What's going on?" he whispered. Ori shook his head. He couldn't comprehend the whole situation.

Thorin nodded. "15 of you will follow Balin. You'll search through the eastern woods. Gloin, Dori, Ori, go with them."

"We have to hurry!" said Balin as the Dwarves scrambled to follow him. Gloin patted his brother's arm before joining the search party. Ori seemed surprised that he was a part of the search, but Dori led him away with the intent of asking him what happened to the Dwarflings.

"The rest of you will follow me," said Thorin. "We're searching the northern woods." The Dwarves nodded in agreement and lit torches, distributing them to everyone. Thorin began the search. In the Blue Mountains, only the shouting of three names could be heard that night.

"Thorin, Thorin," said Dis, walking beside her brother. "They wanted to go to the creek. The creek this morning. It's up north."

Thorin nodded and turned to the rest of the Dwarves. "5 of you run ahead to the creek." They nodded, sending their swiftest runners.

"Fili! Kili! Ril!" shouted Dwalin, brushing past the bushes. "Where are those little rascals?"

"Fili!"

"Kili!"

"Ril!"

"Answer us!"

"Can you hear us?"

"Where are you?"

Oin clenched his torch tightly. "This is all my fault. . . I fell asleep. Oh, you foolish Oin!" Dis looked up from searching the ground and pursed her lips. She walked over to Oin and patted his shoulder.

"It's alright, Oin," she said. "Knowing them they probably ran off when they knew they weren't allowed to." Oin looked at her sadly as Dis forced a smile. "You'll babysit them from inside the halls now." Oin nodded and sighed.

"Thorin!" shouted Dwalin. Thorin glanced at his friend, who was standing to the left. "Over here!"

"Did you find them?" asked Thorin, running as his heart pounded wildly. Dwalin shook his head and pointed to the ground. Thorin looked down and froze.

It was Ril's rabbit doll. Bloodied. Torn. Abandoned.

Thorin was silent as Dis appeared behind him. "What is it?" She gasped when she saw the remains. "That's her doll. . . That's Ril's. . . She-she had it with her this morning. . ."

"RIL!" shouted Thorin. "RIL! FILI! KILI!" Dis covered her mouth, holding in her sorrowful cries, as she knelt down and picked up the scraps.

"Please. . . No. . ."

Oin stood beside her, silent, as his chest throbbed painfully. Dwalin scowled and cursed in Khuzdul again. "Whoever did this will pay. I will have my axe in their head."

Thorin looked around the woods with a heavy heart. He felt his world collapse around him. Whose blood was that? Fili's? Kili's? Ril's? Thorin's grip on his sword tightened as fury seeped through his veins. He'll have _his_ axe in the bloodthirsty, cold-blooded killer's head before Dwalin.

"Look here!" shouted a Dwarf with a floppy hat. Thorin looked to his left. He recognized him. His name was Bofur? "There's a small cave!" Thorin's eyes widened as he sprinted towards Bofur.

* * *

Kili stirred awake and whimpered. It was extremely dark now. He slowly lifted his head up from Fili's shoulder, where the Dwarfling had fallen asleep. Kili glanced at his brother, who was still sleeping, his head against a rock. He turned to Ril, who was lying on her back. She seemed to be sleeping as well.

Kili sighed and looked back at the pile of rocks behind him. The brothers only moved a grand total of 6 rocks before abandoning the whole effort. It was too heavy for them. Kili's eyes widened when he heard the distant but still very real sound of shouting and feet stomping. Someone was calling out their names.

Kili shook Fili's arm. The older Dwarfling groaned and tried to push his brother away.

"Not now, Kili . . . Just another minute . . ."

"Fili! Uncle Thorin! Uncle Thorin's here! I hear them!" Fili jolted awake and rubbed his tired eyes. He crawled over the rocks and smiled.

"I see light! And I hear them!" Kili joined his brother. "We're in here! We're in here! Uncle Thorin! We're in here!" The brothers brightened when they saw their uncle's (albeit, worried) face.

"Fili! Kili!" he shouted in relief. "Are you hurt?"

Fili shook his head as Kili started to cry. They were saved. "No, but Ril is. We can't get out. The rocks are too heavy." Thorin tore his gaze away from the cave and looked back at Dwalin, who was telling everyone they found the children. Dis fell to her knees in front of the entrance and cried when she saw her sons.

"Mama!" cried the boys as Dis reached in towards them with her hand.

"Fili! Kili!" she said as they held onto her hand. "Are you hurt? Are you OK? Is Ril OK?" Fili and Kili could only cry in response.

"We need to remove these rocks," said Thorin to Dwalin. "Just enough that we can pull them out." Dwalin sighed and placed his sword on the ground.

"Just what were they doing in there?" He rolled his sleeves back. "These little devils will pay for making everyone worry."

Thorin shook his head. "For making _you_ worry." Dwalin snorted.

Dis's grip on her son's hands tightened. "Just wait a little bit more. Your Uncle Thorin will get you out." Dwalin cleared his throat. "And Mr. Dwalin."

"Mama," pleaded Kili, holding onto his mother's hand. Dis held in her tears. She loathed letting go of her sons' hands. With a deep breath, Dis forced a smile and took her hand out of the cave as Kili cried more. She stepped to the side as Thorin and Dwalin bent down.

"Fili, Kili, step back," said Thorin. "Get away from the rocks." Fili tugged on his brother's arm, and they crawled to the back of the cave. The brothers sat down beside Ril, who was still sleeping.

"The laddies and lass!" cried Oin, stopping beside Dis, who watched Thorin and Dwalin remove the rocks in front of the tiny cave. "Are they alright? Are they safe?"

Dis nodded. "Ril's hurt, but they're safe. They're safe."

Fili shook Ril's shoulder. "Wake up, Ril. No more sleeping." The little Dwarfling sniffled in her sleep, but didn't wake up.

Kili tugged on her good arm. "Wake up now! Uncle Thorin's here!"

Ril sat straight up as if she wasn't asleep at all, scaring her cousins. "Papa?"

"I'm here, Ril," called out Thorin, peering into the cave.

Ril began to cry. "Papa! Papa! Papa! Pa-papa!"

Fili and Kili covered their ears as Ril sobbed while incoherently telling her father what happened (and which bear to punish for ruining her doll and scratching her arm).

"Maybe it's because I haven't seen her all day, but I forgot how she screeches like a banshee when she cries," said Dwalin, tossing a rock to the side.

Dis slapped his arm. "She does not! The poor child is scared. And she's hurt!" Dwalin rubbed his arm, still smarting. "It's OK, Ril! You're safe now! Don't cry, OK?"

Ril cried more, asking for Thorin.

Fili and Kili sighed as Thorin and Dwalin removed enough of the rocks for them to crawl through.

Thorin reached into the cave. "Grab my hand." Before Fili and Kili could move, Ril crawled over the rocks (ignoring her injured arm) and took hold of his hand.

"PAPA!" she cried as Thorin pulled her out of the cave. Ril launched into a full-out wailing as Thorin embraced her. Dis patted her back while Dwalin rubbed his sore ear drums.

"Ril, give me a second," said Thorin, trying to pull his daughter away. She wouldn't let go, her little fists holding onto his fur coat. "Oin, her arm is hurt." The healer rushed to Ril's side.

"No," said Ril, burying her head in Thorin's fur coat. "Papa."

"Come here, Ril," said Dis. She held out her arms. "We have to treat your arm."

Dwalin bent down and looked inside the cave as Fili and Kili crawled towards the entrance.

"You go first," said Fili as Kili eagerly exited the cave. Dwalin grabbed hold of him and pulled him out.

"There you go, you little rascal." Thorin bent down and embraced Kili while holding Ril in one arm (Oin had a hard time trying to clean her wound).

"Uncle Thorin!" cried Kili as Dwalin pulled Fili out of the cave.

Thorin patted his nephew's back. "It's alright, Kili." Dis snatched her youngest son away, lifting him up into her arms. Thorin then embraced Fili. The blonde-haired Dwarfling rubbed the back of his sleeve against his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Thorin," he murmured. Thorin looked him over and patted his back, too.

"Let's return home." Fili nodded as Dis bent down and embraced her oldest son, crying and looking him over for injuries. Kili held onto his mother's hand, smiling despite his tears.

"That was quite an adventure," said Dwalin, picking his sword and Thorin's up from the ground.

Thorin stood up and held his daughter with both arms. "To say the least."

"Thorin!" All the Dwarves turned around as the search party from the east arrived. Balin led them at the front, his white hair and beard wild from running around. "You found them!"

"They're safe," replied Dwalin. "They got stuck in a cave."

Balin sighed in relief. "Thank goodness."

"We weren't stuck in a cave," retorted Fili from his mother's arms. "A bear was chasing us so we hid in there."

"A bear?" squeaked Ori from behind Balin.

"A bear?" repeated Thorin. "There was a bear?" The children nodded.

"He tried to eat us!" cried Kili.

"And he took my rabbit away!" said Ril, looking up at her father. "He was a mean bear."

"And he started shaking the entire mountain!" added Fili. "That's why we were stuck."

"It seems like I'll have to go hunting tonight," declared Thorin.

"Count me in," grunted Dwalin. "Though I've never hunted a bear before."

"First time for everything!" said Gloin, standing beside his brother. "I always wanted a bear rug."

"It would compliment the dining hall very well," said Dori.

"Or the library," said Balin with a wink. "It'll add some nice warmth to it."

"Now, now, you silly Dwarves," said Dis. "No hunting tonight. These children need a good washing, some cleaning, and a good night's sleep." She wrinkled her nose. "The same could be said for all of you." Everyone laughed as they turned around, heading back home. Thorin led the way with Ril safely in his arms and Balin and Dwalin beside him. Dis followed a few ways behind, holding onto both of her sons' hands.

"So just what happened exactly?" asked Dori, who was relieved to see the Dwarflings unharmed (for the most part). He still needed to teach them proper manners!

Fili and Kili recounted the tale loudly in order to let everyone hear. They started from the beginning, from running away from a sleeping Oin to running away from an angry bear to finding shelter inside the cave. Ril would add in small details from time to time about the bear scratching her arm and tearing her rabbit doll apart which would then cause her to cry again. Everyone, but Thorin (who was holding said child) and Dis (who was holding onto Fili and Kili's hands), covered their ears.

"What a lovely pair of lungs," commented Bofur, covering his ears with his hat. He walked beside Dis and she glanced at him.

"Oh, yes. Our Ril is very talented at crying." Bofur smiled as Kili looked up at him. He removed his hand from his ear.

"That's a funny hat," he said.

"Kili," said Dis, but Bofur laughed.

"Why, thank you! It's very special to me." Dis looked at him apologetically, but Bofur smiled her concern away.

"To think there are bears around these parts," said Balin, removing his hands from his ears after Thorin quieted Ril. "It's unsafe to allow the children outside now."

"We'll just hunt down all the bears," retorted Dwalin.

"But for now we'll keep everyone inside," said Thorin.

Balin sighed. "I do want a bear rug in the library." Dwalin chuckled while Thorin shook his head.

"Papa," said Ril.

Thorin glanced down at his daughter. "What is it?"

"I miss my rabbit doll."

Thorin paused for a moment. "I'll get you a new one."

"But I liked that one."

"I'll get you the same one."

"You can't save it?"

"No."

"Can I bury it?"

"Why?"

"So it won't get cold or lonely."

"It'll be fine."

"Oh."

Gloin clasped his older brother by the shoulder as Oin sighed. "I thought I was going to die tonight, whether by Dis's hand or Thorin's hand." He shuddered. "I don't know who's more frightening."

"Dis," whispered Gloin. "A mother's wrath is the most frightening experience in life." The brothers nodded in agreement. "Here, Thorin!" The King glanced back at the Dwarf. "What are we going to do about the swords?"

"We'll have to stay up and finish them," replied Thorin.

Dwalin and Gloin groaned.

"It's all the Dwarflings' fault!" grunted Dwalin. "Led us on a wild chase and look what happened!" Ril smiled at him.

"Brother, did you really have to fall asleep?" asked Gloin.

Oin stared at his brother. "But you said it wasn't my fault!"

"I never once said that!"

"It was implied!"

"I could help," offered Balin. "Though it's been a while since I last held a hammer."

Dwalin snorted. "You'll mess up more than you can make."

"Or you could stay up 'till morning making 50 swords by yourself." Balin smiled at his brother. "Never refute an offer that is better than the current situation."

"A better offer? You'll burn down the forge!"

Thorin shook his head as Ril giggled.

"They're so silly, Papa."

"We're silly?" said Dwalin, glancing at the little girl. "Who's the one who wants to bury her rag doll in the ground?"

Ril pouted. "My rabbit doll has feelings!" She paused. "It had feelings until the bear took its heart out. It was a mean bear."

"You're lucky that was the only thing it took out."

"Hey!"

Dwalin and Ril continued bickering until they reached Ered Luin. Fili and Kili left their mother's side and ran ahead in order to help their cousin beat Mr. Dwalin in an argument (Kili quickly switched sides when the older Dwarf bribed him with food). The Dwarves separated at the sight of home, offering apologies and wishing good luck as Dis dragged the children away for a bath. Thorin eventually had to come to the rescue when Fili and Kili refused to take a bath and ran around the mountain naked. He then left to finish making 50 swords for the next morning, but had to return _again _when Ril started to cry because Oin tried to put "icky, gooey poison" on her arm. Now two hours after returning home, the Dwarflings were in bed. Or were supposed to be.

"Kili, stop jumping on your bed," commanded Thorin, rubbing his forehead. "Aren't you tired?" Ril giggled, rolling around on her blankets, as Kili shook his head.

"Nope! I took a nap in the cave!"

"That's hardly a place to sleep," muttered Thorin. He took hold of his youngest nephew and forced him to lie down on the bed. Before Kili could get up, Thorin wrapped the blanket around him. The dark-haired Dwarfling laughed while his uncle sighed. "There. Now stay still and sleep."

"Where you going, Uncle Thorin?" asked Kili. Thorin walked over to Fili's bed where the blonde-haired boy was sitting up.

"I have to finish work," he replied, motioning for Fili to lie down in bed.

"Are you mad at us, Uncle Thorin?" asked Fili. Thorin paused before covering his nephew with the wool blanket.

"No." Thorin patted his head. "No, I'm not." Fili stared at him before nodding, as if content.

"My turn! My turn!" said Ril, looking at her father. Thorin walked over to her bed and wrapped the blanket around her securely. Ril, smiling, pointed to her forehead. Thorin complied and kissed her forehead.

"Now sleep," he said to all three children. "There'll be punishment for you tomorrow morning." There was a large chorus of disappointed sighs and groans, but Thorin ignored them. "So sleep well. Understand?" He walked towards the bedroom door when Kili spoke up.

"Uncle Thorin?"

Thorin turned around. "Hmm?"

"I'm hungry."

Thorin sighed. Of course, they didn't eat anything all day.

Ril sat up in bed. "Me, too! Me, too!"

"My stomach's growling really badly," said Fili.

Thorin paused before motioning for the three Dwarflings to get up. "I'll find you something to eat."

"Really?" asked Kili, sitting up in bed.

"That's not part of our punishment?" asked Fili.

Thorin smirked. "No. I can't deprive you children of food." Smiling, the Dwarflings jumped off their beds and followed Thorin out of the room.

**A/N: These are the ages of the Dwarves who appear in this chapter: Thorin is 130; Fili is 17; Kili is 12; Ril is 10; Dis is 116; Balin is 147; Dwalin is 138; Oin is 136; Gloin is 127; Dori is 99; Ori is 74; and Bofur is 92.**

**P.S. Because of school, I won't be able to update very often. I'm sorry about that! At minimum I'll update with one chapter and at maximum I'll update with three chapters. I probably can't do four, and two chapters a week will be golden unless I'm not as busy (which means three chapters a week). Just wanted to let you know!**


	6. I'm Going on an Adventure!

**Our Long-Forgotten Gold**

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for reading my story even though I didn't update in so long *begs for forgiveness on knees*. I don't want to write a long Author's Note so if you want to know why I never updated just go to my profile. It's all explained there. Trust me. I was gone for valid reasons (not because I was lazy or lost inspiration to write). Anyways, enjoy!**

**Chapter 6: I'm Going on an Adventure!**

_Present Day (2941), the Shire_

Thorin grimaced as he tried to straighten his back, but his torso wouldn't let him. As Fili predicted, Ril ended up sleeping sideways in the middle of the night, her head near the fireplace (prompting Thorin to immediately put out the fire) and her legs on top of his stomach. He tried to push her off of him as gently as possible, but she didn't budge once. The whole night until early morning, Thorin endured the weight of his daughter's legs on top of him, and now he was paying the price.

With heavy footsteps, the king-in-exile wandered into the kitchen. His eyes widened when he saw Bifur sitting at the table. He was carving away at a toy. Thorin nodded once, which Bifur didn't see as he remained fixated on his work, so he continued on his way, filled a tea pot with water, and set it over a fire the toymaker started earlier. Thorin shifted through the wooden cabinets and found a few tea leaves. He added them into the water before sitting down in a chair opposite of Bifur. Thorin leaned back in his seat, and his face relaxed as his back seemed to be finally cooperating with him.

A few minutes passed by in silence as the smell of brewing tea filled the kitchen. Bifur suddenly said something in Khuzdul, and Thorin glanced at him.

"Yes," he replied. Bifur nodded and returned to carving the toy. Thorin watched him for a moment, witnessing the fast, yet skilled movements of a pocket knife held by a steady and sure hand. He drew his attention away when Balin walked into the kitchen. He was dressed impeccably as usual.

"Good morning, Thorin," Balin said with a pleasant smile. He sat down next to Thorin, who nodded his greeting. Bifur didn't look up.

"Have you seen Gandalf?" asked Thorin.

Balin shook his head. "No. Bifur and I were the first ones awake and the wizard was nowhere in sight. I don't even know if Master Baggins signed the contract."

"He did," replied Thorin. "I saw the contract on the table in the living room."

The white-haired Dwarf chuckled and stroked his long, thick beard. "Well, then, Gandalf actually succeeded. I wonder how he convinced him . . . Anyways, it seems we three are the only ones awake at the moment. Shall I wake the others?" Thorin shook his head and turned his gaze to the window, watching the first rays of sunlight stream through the glass. A grey shadow seemed to pass over his face, one that was not missed by Balin, who cleared his throat and glanced at the tea pot.

"A dutiful father, as always," he commented with a slight chuckle. Thorin raised an eyebrow and looked away from the window. He followed Balin's gaze and stared at the steaming pot of tea before shrugging his shoulders and turning away. Balin shook his head with a knowing smirk when Bifur said something in Khuzdul. Thorin's eye twitched as Balin chuckled and slapped his knee.

"I must agree with you there, Bifur!" he laughed. "After 75 years, he should be used to being a father. There's no need to be embarrassed!" Thorin cleared his throat and stood up, ignoring Balin. He picked up a dark green cloth, made his way to the fireplace, and carried the tea pot to the table. Balin watched Thorin with a small smile as he poured the tea into a wooden mug.

"We'll depart before 9," said Thorin, putting down the pot and holding the mug in his hand. "It seems we'll have to eat at Bywater also." Balin nodded and stood up, following Thorin out of the kitchen.

"Unfortunately we've depleted our host's supply of food that was to last for a good season. At least he won't have to worry about spoiled and rotten food when he returns home." Thorin's eyes narrowed.

"_If_ he returns home."

Balin glanced at him with alarm, but nodded his head as if in reluctant agreement. "Of course. We'll have to hope for the best."

The two Dwarves made their way to the living room. Fili, Dwalin, Bofur, Dori, and Nori were already awake. Fili sat between his brother and cousin and was braiding a loose strand of his blonde hair. Dwalin and Nori were on the floor, sitting cross-legged. Dwalin was putting on his heavy boots while Nori was fixing his unique hair. Bofur sat in his armchair, humming a quiet, merry tune with a smile on his face. Dori was folding a blanket and placed it on the velvet sofa he slept on.

"Good morning!" chimed Bofur.

"Good morning," replied Balin as Thorin nodded once. He glanced down at his nephew and daughter.

"Should I wake them up?" asked Nori. Thorin shook his head and walked to the sofa Bifur slept on.

"A few more minutes." He looked back at Ori, who was huddled into his armchair. "He probably didn't get much sleep." Nori nodded as Thorin sat down on the sofa, mug of tea in hand, and Balin sat down next to him.

"Dare I ask how you slept?" asked Fili to Dwalin with a cheeky smile. Dwalin grumbled a curse under his breath as he glared daggers at a certain dark-haired Dwarf.

"I feel like a whole army of Orcs beat me to a bloody pulp." Nori snickered and ducked his head, dodging a flying boot Dwalin threw at him.

"I, on the other hand, had a very restful sleep," said Balin with a smile. Dwalin contemplated throwing his other boot at his brother.

"How do you stand Gloin's snoring?" asked Fili. "Only Oin can endure that hideous noise and he's nearly deaf."

"I could hear him all the way from here," said Bofur. "Combine that with Kili's snoring and you have a pleasant chorus of angry trolls."

"Oh, I simply chose the room farthest from Gloin," replied Balin. Dwalin snorted.

"He probably took advantage of his age." Balin ignored him.

"Hmm. So the walls and doors must be pretty sound-proof, huh?" said Nori. "Bag End must be worth a fortune on the market." Dori sighed as he looked at his younger brother with weary eyes.

"Must you constantly speak about money? And do not even think about convincing the poor Hobbit to sell his home. We've had enough trouble."

"Are you lecturing me again, Brother?" asked Nori, standing up from the floor. "Because I'm a terrible influence on Ori?" He grinned and sauntered over to his pack lying near the foot of the sofa Dori sat on.

"Not just on Ori," said Dwalin, jerking his thumb towards (a surprised) Fili, Kili, and Ril. "You were the one who taught them how to steal—"

"Now, now, that's all in the past," said Nori with a gulp. Thorin was looking at him with narrowed eyes. "I'm a changed Dwarf. Doing something noble for once in my life."

"Hear, hear!" said Fili in an attempt to placate his glowering uncle.

"This is the most he's ever tried in the past 20 years," added Bofur.

"With ulterior motives," retorted Dori. "That's hardly noble."

Nori chuckled. "Ulterior motives? That's too cruel. It's more like—"

"Argh!"

Ril sat up on the floor, her blue eyes half-opened (or half-closed). She kicked her blanket away with a ferocity to match Kili's and gripped her head with both of her hands, wincing. Thorin remained silent and handed her the mug of tea. Glancing up at her father, Ril took the tea as if it was a lifesaver and emptied the steaming beverage in one gulp, earning a pained cringe from Dori. Fili, Dwalin, Bofur, and Nori burst into laughter as Ril settled down on the floor again, drawing the abandoned blanket close to her neck.

"I feel like someone is hammering into my head," she muttered, slinging her arm over her head as she looked up at the ceiling with a dazed expression.

"Yes, anyone would feel that way after drinking eight mugs of ale," said Dori with a shake of his head.

"Except Dwarves!" roared Dwalin, slapping his knee.

Ril glared at him and resisted the temptation of throwing the mug in her hand at his almost bald head. "I've gotten better." Fili snorted, and Ril considered throwing the mug at her cousin instead.

"Stick to seven mugs," advised Nori with a grin. "At least you won't get drunk."

Ril groaned. "Don't remind me. It's too embarrassing." She winced as another wave of pain hit her head, and she grumbled incoherent words.

"Ooh, you shouldn't be saying that," said Nori, cupping his hand against his ear. He glanced at Dwalin and smirked. "You learned that one from Dwalin."

"I didn't teach her anything!" retorted Dwalin as Fili bowled over in laughter. The intimidating Dwarf dared to look at Thorin, who sighed. Why were there so many terrible influences around his daughter and nephews?

"Your sins are coming to light, Brother," said Balin with a smile and wink.

"I'm not cursing," said Ril. She sat up and combed through her long, black hair with her fingers. "Why would I curse?"

"Oh, there are marvelous advantages to cursing," replied Bofur. "Just ask good ol' Gloin." There was silence in the room as the Dwarves listened to the red-haired Dwarf's angry rants from somewhere in the house.

"What do you suppose is going on over there?" asked Kili suddenly. Fili and Dwalin jumped back in surprise as he sat up on the floor and yawned. His shaggy dark hair was even messier.

"By Durin, you're worse than an Orc," grunted Dwalin. "And you're sleeping in the corner next time!"

"Even in the Wild?" asked Ril.

Dwalin nodded. "Edge of the woods!"

"In the river!" added Nori.

"On top of mountain peaks!" said Bofur.

"As long as you're away from me!" concluded Dwalin.

Kili smiled and wrapped his arm around Dwalin's shoulders. "Come now, Mr. Dwalin! I'm not that bad!"

"Dwalin's back would not agree with you," said Balin. He turned to Thorin as Dwalin started to strangle Kili in a headlock. "Should we be on our way soon?" Thorin nodded in reply.

"We leave in 10 minutes," he said, standing up.

"It's not yet 9, though," said Dori.

"We'll be eating breakfast at Bywater," replied Balin.

"It seems like Bombur was sleepwalking last night!" laughed Bofur.

"Balin, if Mr. Baggins is not awake by the time we leave, I need you to write a note telling him where to be at what time," said Thorin, glancing at the white-haired Dwarf.

"Aye, I'll do that," replied Balin with a nod. "Alright, everyone, get up. And Brother, you'll give the lad bruises."

With that, the Dwarves dispersed. Thorin went off in search of his cloak, and Balin headed towards Bilbo's bedroom to check up on the Hobbit. Bofur strolled into the kitchen to fetch his cousin before leading him to wake up Bombur. Nori, who was already prepared, took his pack and went outside first. Dori took it upon himself to wake up Ori and fixed his messy hair with a comb. Ril put on her boots and went to the kitchen to clean her mug. Dwalin pounded Kili's back with a _thud_ (which he insisted was a clear sign of his affection for him) and stood up to join Nori outside. Fili and Kili scrambled to their feet and left to find their uncle, intent on helping him.

Within ten minutes, most of the Dwarves were gathered outside and waited for Thorin and Balin. Thorin stood by the door and turned around when he heard footsteps.

"It's seems not even Dwalin's laughter and Gloin's shouting could wake up our Hobbit," said Balin. He lifted up a piece of paper that had his elegant script written on it. "He seemed like he needed the rest so I didn't wake him. I'll leave this note for him on the mantelpiece."

Thorin nodded in approval as Balin walked into the living room and placed the note on the sill. Thorin opened the door, and the two Dwarves made their way out of Bag End. The Dwarves were already on the road outside the gate and turned to look at Thorin and Balin, who approached them.

"Look who's the last one out of the house," said Dwalin, his arms crossed over his muscular chest. Thorin ignored his jest and began walking down the road. Balin clasped his brother by the arm as they followed their king. The Dwarves quietly chattered amongst themselves, though no one was in a good mood (except Bofur) as they were hungry.

Thorin stopped walking for a moment and turned around. Balin and Dwalin also turned around, and Gloin nearly collided with Dwalin. The two scowled at each other as Thorin muttered numbers under his breath.

"Are you counting everyone?" asked Oin, holding his hearing aid to his ear. Thorin nodded in reply and then nodded again when he made sure everyone was accounted for. Without another word, he turned around again and continued walking.

In nearly all the Hobbit holes dotting the green hills of the Shire, smoke came out of the chimneys as the inhabitants cooked their breakfast. A few Hobbits were outside, smoking pipes, talking with neighbors, and tending to their gardens. They did not hide their surprise at the Dwarves' appearance, but didn't ask questions either. Compared to Men and Elves, Dwarves were a much more common sight in the Shire (short people tolerated one another in their shared understanding of height deficiency).

The Company of Thorin Oakenshield traveled down Bagshot Row at a comfortable pace. Thorin led the way, and Balin and Dwalin were close behind and ready to give directions before their friend got lost. Gloin, Oin, and Fili followed them with Oin telling a story about a battle, Gloin jumping in to curse in Khuzdul or to correct his brother, and Fili listening with apt attention. Dori walked behind them and had a grim expression on his face as Gloin continued shouting. Ori, on the other hand, was quite fascinated with both Gloin's cursing and Oin's story. Ril, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur were next. More than once, Bombur found himself following his nose and walking towards a Hobbit hole, causing Bofur to drag him back to the road. Ril told Bifur about a wooden carving she was working on, and Bifur occasionally gave her advice in Khuzdul. Kili and Nori were at the back of the group, preferring to startle a few unsuspecting Hobbits. They held back laughter at the sight of curly-haired Hobbits scurrying away from them while dropping handkerchiefs and vegetables.

Soon enough, the Dwarves were nearing Hobbiton and the river of the Bywater Pool trickled past them. The sight of the clear, running water lifted their spirits (despite the angry protests of their empty stomachs).

The clock chimed 9:30 as the Dwarves arrived in Hobbiton. The marketplace was larger and more varied than Bywater's, but their destination of interest was the famous Green Dragon Inn. The smell and sight of food were too much for Bombur, who was getting more and more difficult. Realizing he'll have grumpy Dwarves with him all the way to Bywater, Thorin relented and allowed them to eat breakfast in Hobbiton. No sooner did the words leave his mouth that the Dwarves disappeared in search of food.

Fili, Kili, and Ril were the first to leave, running off with only a wave and sparse explanation. Bifur and Bofur had to run to keep up with Bombur, who ran at a speed that seemed impossible for a Dwarf of his size (never underestimate a hungry Dwarf!). Dori dragged his brothers along with him, wanting to have a "good family breakfast" together, but Nori soon disappeared in a blink of an eye, and Ori tried to find his older brother, much to Dori's chagrin. Oin and Gloin were the first to actually sit down and eat as their age (and hunger) prompted them to find the nearest place selling food. Thorin, Balin, and Dwalin joined them, and the five Dwarves ate breakfast together.

It was already nearing ten when the Dwarves began to assemble again. Thorin, who carried around his own money, paid for breakfast and walked back to the center of the marketplace with Balin, Dwalin, Oin, and Gloin. Gloin went off to find all the Dwarves and pay for their meals as he had all the money. The four Dwarves waited patiently as one by one a member joined them. Dori and Ori were the first to arrive as Dori wanted to be punctual. Ori stood beside his brother quietly, sad that Nori was nowhere in sight. Ril soon appeared, munching on a large carrot, and sat down on the ground with her legs crossed. Fili and Kili arrived next; their arms were filled with food as they sat down beside their cousin and finished their breakfast. A while passed, until the last of the Dwarves appeared with a grumpy Gloin, a silent Bifur, a smiling Bofur, a still eating Bombur, and a grinning Nori.

Counting everyone, Thorin resumed the journey at the head of the group while Gloin complained that Bombur nearly emptied his purse with the amount of food he ate (which didn't surprise anyone). Bofur sheepishly explained that he tried to stop his brother, but failed miserably. Bombur smiled, munching on his extended breakfast. The Dwarves eventually reached Bywater Road and the first signs of Bywater appeared a while later. Compared to Hobbiton, Bywater was already bustling with activity, thanks to the presence of the Green Dragon Inn.

Stopping before the famous inn, Thorin turned around. "Balin, Fili, Ori, gather all the ponies together. Make sure you buy two more. Dwalin, Kili, Nori, Bifur, retrieve all our weapons from inside the inn. Oin, Ril, Dori, Bofur, Bombur, purchase the food and any other supplies we'll need. Don't forget water skins. Gloin, distribute the money accordingly."

"I would have money to distribute if Bombur didn't eat so much!" said Gloin with a scowl.

Thorin reached into his cloak and pulled out a black pouch. "Use this if there's not enough." He tossed it to Gloin, who caught it with one hand and nodded.

"Aye, I'll do just that," he said, taking his own money pouch out. Dwalin, Kili, Nori, and Bifur walked towards the inn without delay as Gloin handed out coins to Balin and Oin.

"Where will you be, Uncle?" asked Fili as he stood beside Ori. Thorin glanced at his nephew before looking around Bywater.

"In search of Gandalf," he replied.

"You're in luck," said Bofur, nodding his head towards the direction of the inn. The Dwarves turned around, and there the wizard stood, talking with Dwalin. Dwalin grunted before walking away to join Kili, Nori, and Bifur while Gandalf glanced at the other Dwarves. A smile lit up his face as he strolled towards them.

"Good morning," chimed the Dwarves, except Thorin, who remained silent.

"Good morning!" replied Gandalf. "A good start to a promising journey, though it would be an excellent morning if I saw Bilbo with all of you. Where is he?"

"It seemed like he needed more sleep so we let him be," replied Balin. "But do not worry! We left him a note telling him where to be and at what time." Gandalf paused, contemplating the situation, before sighing.

"I am not quite sure how that will work out, but fine! I have a bit of business to attend to here so finish whatever you need to do!" Gandalf strolled away, whistling to himself, as Gloin finished handing out all the coins. He and Thorin joined Balin, Fili, and Ori in purchasing two more ponies while Oin, Ril, Dori, Bofur, and Bombur made their way to the marketplace.

"Do you think Mr. Baggins will be on time?" asked Dori. "What are the chances he will actually find the note on the mantelpiece?"

"I do agree that Mr. Balin could've placed it somewhere else," admitted Ril.

"Trust me," said Bofur. "The first thing Bilbo will do is clean up the house!"

"But we cleaned it yesterday," said Bombur, chewing on a piece of ham.

"He'll clean it again!" retorted Bofur. "10 gold coins he'll be on time."

"I usually do not participate in things like this, but I have a good feeling about this one," said Dori. "10 coins he'll be late!"

"Or 10 coins he won't show up at all!" said Bombur. Ril, Dori, and Bofur nodded in agreement as that thought never occurred to them.

"I think he'll show up," said Oin rather sagely.

"10 coins he'll show up!" said Ril quickly. Dori sighed.

"Unfair. You always side with Oin." Ril grinned and shrugged her shoulders.

"Anyways," said Bofur, clearing his throat. "Oin, Ril, and I each bet 10 gold coins that Mr. Baggins will show up and on time. Dori bets that he'll be late while Bombur thinks he won't show up at all. Agree?" All the Dwarves nodded, except for Oin, who squinted his eyes in concentration and held the hearing aid closer to his ear.

"What?" he asked. "Can you repeat that?"

Ril cupped her hand next to Oin's ear. "We're going to win the bet, Mr. Oin!" A smile appeared on Oin's face as he nodded confidently at Ril.

"Right you are, lass!"

* * *

Bilbo had the most pleasant dream. It was so nice that Bilbo nearly cried when he woke up. The Hobbit sat up in his bed, pushing aside his fur blankets, and smiled.

"That was quite a dream! I was ready to eat dinner when a Dwarf appeared at my door and ate the fish I grilled to perfection! I thought that was bad enough, but then suddenly more Dwarves arrived. One, and then three, and then a whole pile! They ate all my food and my seed cakes, drank all the ale and wine, ruined the plumbing, and threw my mother's West Farthing pottery around like a bunch of hooligans. Then the Dwarves' leader arrived (his name was Thorin or something) and everything suddenly became grim and serious. They were talking about a mountain, gold, a dragon—DRAGON!—and then a contract or whatever that Gandalf the wandering wizard made me sign! But that was all a silly dream!"

Bilbo laughed, shaking his head, before pausing. A cold rush of fear ran through his body as he realized the dream was quite real. He drew a sharp intake of breath and looked around his room slowly. Bilbo was very quiet, but he couldn't hear anything in the house, except for the chirping of birds outside.

"Oh, now look at what you've done, Bilbo," he muttered to himself. "Those Dwarves will think you've really knocked out a few bolts from your head!" Bilbo stood up, his hairy feet barely making a sound on the wooden floor, and made his way to the door. He turned the doorknob for a good 30 seconds before peeking out into the hallway. There was no Dwarf in sight.

Puzzled, Bilbo stepped into the hallway, eyes darting back and forth. He knew that a few Dwarves occupied the guest rooms (without asking him – the nerve!) and checked those first. Not only were they empty, but Bilbo was surprised to see the beds neatly made. He closed all the doors and walked to the dining room.

"Hello?" Bilbo called out. Everything was spick and span, and the Hobbit made his way to the kitchen. The Dwarves were gone. "Yes. Yes!" Bilbo pumped his fist in glee. He was free! With a little spring in his step, Bilbo walked into the living room and looked around with a pleased expression on his face. Now he could return to his normal morning chores. First, he would have to go to the market and buy groceries. Then he should tend to his garden, which has been infested with weeds lately. And then maybe for dinner he could—

Bilbo paused. Another normal day in the normal life of the normal Bilbo Baggins. The Hobbit shook his head. An adventure was the last thing he needed! He didn't need to walk across the country to who knows where at the risk of being burnt alive by a dragon just to steal a few coins!

An adventure . . . An adventure . . . An adventure . . .

A piece of paper caught Bilbo's eyes and he glanced at the table. There lay the contract, signed and waiting. Bilbo walked over and paused for a moment before picking it up. He did sign the contract . . .

No! It doesn't matter! He may be a respectable Hobbit, but he was not a foolish one. Still, Bilbo held the contract in his hand. It was heavy to hold, yet painful to put down. He sighed and wandered to the mantelpiece.

"What's this?" Bilbo asked as his eyes widened in confusion. There was another piece of paper. He picked it up and began reading:

"_Thorin and Company to Burglar Bilbo greeting! For your hospitality our sincerest thanks, and for your offer of professional assistance our grateful acceptance_.

_ "Thinking it unnecessary to disturb your esteemed respite, we have proceeded in advance to make requisite preparations, and shall await your respected person at the Green Dragon Inn, Bywater, at 11 a.m. sharp. Trusting that you will be punctual._

_ "We have the honour to remain_

_ "Yours deeply_

_ "Thorin & Co_."

"My goodness," muttered Bilbo as he read the note again. The fact that the Dwarves wrote on his own paper didn't seem important to him at the moment when he realized something.

_11 a.m._

It was 10:45.

With an undignified squeak, Bilbo dropped the note but still held onto the contract as he raced outside his home. He barely closed the front door and sped down the path. His neighbors nearly choked on their food and spit out their drinks when they saw the respectable Mr. Baggins running past them like a maniac.

Bilbo took a shortcut through Bagshot Row down a small hill before continuing on his way. He trampled the roses and lilies of a garden and jumped over a giant pumpkin being carried in a wagon by a stunned Hobbit.

_Dear Mr. Baggins is flying_, the Hobbit thought to himself.

A rush of adrenaline flowed through Bilbo as he even leapt over a fence, nearly bumping into a grazing bull, who glanced at the Hobbit with a lazy eye. Bilbo ran down a few more paths and was nearly reaching the end of Bagshot Row.

"Here, Mr. Bilbo! Where are you off to?" asked a Hobbit, who sat in his chair outside.

"Can't stop, I'm already late!" replied Bilbo, trying to keep breathing.

"Late for what?" asked the Hobbit in a confused voice.

Bilbo sped past his neighbor and ran towards the path leaving Bagshot Row. A twinkle appeared in his eyes, thought it went unnoticed by the curious Hobbit behind him.

"I'm going on an adventure!"

**A/N: This chapter was initially supposed to be longer, but I decided to cut it here because it looked nice (with the title and everything). So the second half will be added to Chapter 8.**

**P.S. Bilbo's little "monologue" (or whatever you would call it) about his dream was inspired by Nanami from an anime/manga called "Kamisama Kiss." It's an adorable story and one of my favorites!**

**P.P.S. So I was listening to "DNA" by Little Mix on Youtube. All the comments were like "OMG! Dark! Harry! Luv it!" (I think "Dark" is a fanfic for One Direction) and I was like, "So am I the only one who thinks about Thorin, Fili, and Kili instead?" XD**


	7. Crown of Flowers

**Our Long-Forgotten Gold**

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for reading my story! Man, that sneak peek for "The Desolation of Smaug" was mind-blowing! I love it so much! It's even better than the official trailer, in my opinion. You should all check it out. "**_**If this is to end in fire, then we will all burn together**_**." (*chills down spine*) On that happy note, enjoy!**

**Chapter 7: Crown of Flowers**

_62 years earlier (2879), the Blue Mountains (Ered Luin)_

Ril dragged the wooden stool across a worn-out path of grass she formed herself. Placing it before the railing of a fence, the little Dwarfling clambered onto the chair and smiled at herself for her accomplishment. Well, it wasn't a new accomplishment as Ril did this nearly every day, but she was still happy she could do this much by herself. She dusted off the dirt from her tiny hands and swung her short legs lazily back and forth.

"Move your feet, Kili!" barked Mr. Dwalin. The tall (and intimidating) Dwarf stood to the side of the outside training area. His huge arms were crossed over his muscular chest. Dwalin grunted in approval when the dark-haired Dwarfling listened to his command. Fili and Kili were sparring together early in the morning. They each held a wooden sword. Ril watched her older cousins with her full attention. She held no interest in sword fighting (preferring rabbits and bunnies and ponies and apples and snails and rocks and flowers), but Ril made it her duty to watch Fili and Kili every morning no matter how tired and sleepy she was.

The little Dwarfling stifled a yawn and stretched her arms. Maybe she was overdoing it today. The thought of her soft bed and warm blanket tempted Ril to slink back home where she could ask Aunt Dis for milk and freshly baked cookies after a nap, but she shook her head. Ril needed to stay with Fili and Kili.

"Are you tiring already, Fili?" shouted Kili with a wide grin.

Fili shot back his own smile and increased the ferocity of his attacks. "Me? No! Don't kid yourself, _little brother_." He laughed as Kili leapt forward, glowering at his older brother's jeer. The two brothers continued fighting with occasional shouts from Dwalin interrupting them. Ril's eyes began to droop as the rays of sunlight warming her back beckoned her to sleep.

"You should sleep inside, lass."

Ril squeaked and nearly fell off her chair if not for the firm hand that steadied her. Mr. Balin chuckled and patted her head.

"Hi, Mr. Balin," said Ril, remembering her manners. "I wasn't fallin' asleep."

"It's still very early in the morning. A young Dwarfling like you needs to get plenty of rest. Go back inside and sleep a bit more."

Ril shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't wanna."

Balin's eyes widened. "Well, why not?"

Ril pursed her lips and looked down at her feet swinging back and forth against the chair. "I just don't wanna." Balin remained silent for a moment, observing the little girl as sounds of Fili and Kili's laughter and Dwalin's shouts filled the air. Ril didn't look up at him.

"Do you want to learn how to fight with a sword?" asked Balin. "Like Fili and Kili?" Ril shook her head without hesitation. Balin frowned. "Do you like watching them fight?" Ril shook her head again. "Do you want to tell me why you're out here right now?"

Ril paused before glancing up at the white-haired Dwarf. "Just because." Balin concealed his deep sigh. This child was as vague (and emotionally withdrawn) as her father.

"Would you like to eat breakfast with me?" he asked. Ril's eyes brightened and Balin smiled. If all else fails, speak to the Dwarf through his or her stomach.

"OK." Balin held out his hand and Ril took it, jumping off the stool gingerly. She brushed off her blue dress with her other hand before glancing at Fili and Kili, who were still training. Balin watched the child as she looked down at the grass. Frowning, he led her away to the mountain halls. The walk home was silent, except for the occasional shuffling of Ril dragging her feet. Balin nodded at a few Dwarves who walked past them, but kept his eyes on the child of his dearest friend. Her dejected appearance reminded him not of Thorin, who was too proud to show his emotions so openly, but—

"There you are, Balin!" said Dori, approaching the two Dwarves at a well-paced speed. "The caravan has arrived." Dori noticed Ril and nodded his head. "Good morning, Ril. You're up early."

"Hi, Mr. Dori," replied Ril, holding onto Balin's hand with both of hers.

"Oh, I had forgotten the merchants and traders would be arriving today," said Balin. "My memory's becoming worse with age." He glanced down at Ril, who was kicking at the dirt with her right foot. She wouldn't look at him. "I'm afraid we'll have to eat breakfast together another time. My apologies, lass. Do you want me to walk you to the dining hall?"

Ril, still looking down at the grass, shook her head. "I'm okay."

Balin paused for a moment before patting Ril's head. The little Dwarfling finally looked up at him, and Balin smiled. "We'll eat breakfast together tomorrow. I'll even convince Dwalin to give Fili and Kili rest for a day." Ril's eyes widened before nodding. Balin noted a bit of tension in her face disappeared.

"OK," she said. Ril let go of Balin's hand and waved at the white-haired Dwarf and Dori. "Bye, Mr. Balin. Bye, Mr. Dori." Balin gave her another smile, and Dori nodded as Ril walked to the mountain hall by herself. Balin's eyes lingered on her retreating figure.

"Why were you with the little lass?" asked Dori.

"Thorin hasn't seen the children in a while so I offered to check up on them in his stead," replied Balin, looking away from Ril. "I went to observe Fili and Kili's training when I happened to see Ril, who was dozing by the fence." Dori nodded as Balin clasped him by the arm. "Well, then, shall we be on our way? The traders will not be pleased with my tardiness!"

* * *

Ril peeked into the dining hall. The smell of freshly baked bread, sausage, and potatoes (her favorite!) made her empty stomach growl in anticipation. Ril took a small step forward, but then retreated when two adults passed right by her. She placed both of her hands on the cold wall and watched the women bustle around the dining hall and kitchen. Her Aunt Dis seemed to be nowhere in sight, and Ril wondered where she could be at this hour.

"Is that you, Ril? What are you doing just standing there, child?" asked Verya, the head chef of the Blue Mountains. The strong, fair-haired women held a plate filled with food in one hand and a soup ladle in the other. Ril, without thinking, stepped closer to the wall. Verya did not seem to notice and instead laughed.

"Looking for Dis, aren't you? Well, your aunt's seeing to some visitors at the moment. Go sit at the table! I'll fetch you something to eat!" Ril gave her one long look, yet the woman stood there with a smile on her face. Finally, the Dwarfling took one step away from the wall and then another before her feet led her to the dining table. Ril could recognize a few adults sitting at the table, namely Amariel and Ferin. Amariel was the wife of Mr. Gloin. The pregnant brown-haired woman had a soft smile on her lovely face. Her younger brother, Ferin, sat beside her while eating his breakfast. He was one of the most talented warriors in the Blue Mountains and an up-and-coming blacksmith (he was learning how to forge weapons from his brother-in-law).

Amariel saw Ril and gave her a smile, but the child averted her eyes and sat down in a wooden chair without a word. Ferin stopped talking, glancing at Ril for a moment, before resuming his conversation with his sister.

Ril kept her hands clasped in front of her on her lap while swinging her legs back and forth. She wondered about Fili and Kili and if they were finished with their training for the day. Maybe they could go visit Mr. Bifur and Mr. Bofur and Mr. Bombur in the marketplace or talk with Ori in the library. Feelings of happiness and sadness filled Ril's heart when an idea struck her. Maybe they could go visit Papa! She hadn't seen him in such a long time. Aunt Dis told her Papa was really busy and could only see her at night when she was sleeping. Ril was confused. Why didn't Papa wake her up? She really missed him.

"There you go, Ril! Your favorite!" said Verya, startling the Dwarfling out of her thoughts. Ril looked up as Verya placed a plate on the table in front of her. Her stomach growled hungrily at the sight and smell. The chef served a generous helping of potatoes, a warm biscuit with butter, two sausages, and scrambled eggs.

"Thank you, Ms. Verya," said Ril, not forgetting her manners even at the sight of food. A wide smile appeared on Verya's face and she patted Ril's head with her large, warm hand.

"My pleasure, sweetheart. Enjoy your meal! Tell me if you want to eat more!" she said before walking away. Ril picked up her fork and began eating breakfast. The food was delicious, and Ril nearly squealed in delight. She thought how sad it must be for Fili and Kili to miss out on such food. Ril was chewing on a sausage when she glanced up from her plate and saw Amariel smiling at her. The child froze and considered looking away, but she noticed the kindness deep within the woman's eyes.

"Are you enjoying your meal, Ril?" asked Amariel. Ril hesitated before nodding her head. "Make sure you eat well and heartily." Amariel turned to her brother and sighed. "Look at how nice it is to see the children eat to their hearts' content without worry of starvation and poverty. These are good times. Are they not, Brother?" Ferin smiled.

"Aye, they are," he replied. "And your child will only be given the best. I'll see to it."

"You need not worry!" laughed Amariel. "My dear Gloin will provide more than enough for our family." Ferin nodded and leaned back in his chair, his heavy boots clanking against the stone floor. Ril looked down at her own feet and noticed that she could not reach the ground.

"I will see to that also," added Ferin. "Perhaps our fortune will increase with this caravan arriving. How long has it been since they last traded with us?"

Amariel thought for a moment. "About 13 years. I'm quite surprised they wanted to renew the trade, given what happened before. I heard that. . ."

Ril grew bored listening in on their conversation. She knew by now that adults only fancied themselves with talk of money and stuff like that; all of which held no interest for the child. Finished with her meal, Ril hopped off the chair and thought about thanking Ms. Verya for the meal again. Loud voices from the kitchen scared her, however, and she scurried away out of the dining hall. Ril walked down the candle-lit corridor, her little boots silent against the stone floor. She considered for a moment where to go or what to do now. If Fili and Kili were still training with Mr. Dwalin, she could go play with her stuffed animals or befriend some rabbits while waiting for them to finish. Or she could find Aunt Dis.

Ril froze when a group of Dwarflings around Kili's age appeared around the corner of the hall. Her face flushed, and Ril stepped closer to the wall, lowering her head and face.

"Hi, Ril," said an older Dwarfling. Ril's heart began beating erratically, and she raised her eyes. The Dwarflings were looking at her with smiles on their faces.

"Hi," Ril squeaked before continuing on her way.

"Do you want to play with us?" asked the same Dwarfling who greeted her. "We're going to the creek with Mr. Ori." Ril didn't turn around and shook her head in reply before disappearing around the corner. She didn't stop walking until she reached a side door leading to the woods. A guard she recognized as Garet stood by the entrance. He wore armor made out of iron and held an axe in his right hand.

"Hello, Ril," said Garet with a smile. He lowered his axe and held it close to his side away from the child.

"Hi, Mr. Garet," replied Ril, pausing in her steps.

"Are you here without Fili and Kili again?" he asked. "They must still be training with Master Dwalin, huh?" Ril nodded in reply. "So what have you been doing? Are you going to play in the woods again?"

"I guess so," replied Ril.

Garet's eyes widened suddenly and a grin appeared on his face. "Oh, that's right! A group of Dwarflings around your age just passed by here. They're going to the creek with Ori. I think they were planning on asking Fili and Kili to join them before leaving. You should tag along! It'll be fun!"

A small gasp escaped from Ril's mouth, but she lowered her head. "I'm okay." The smile disappeared from Garet's face.

"Are you sure? I thought you liked playing at the creek." Ril shook her head and walked past Garet. The guard pursed his lips, but stood to attention and raised his axe again.

"Well, have fun. Don't wander off too much!" he called out. Ril turned around and nodded.

"OK, Mr. Garet," she replied before continuing to walk. It was a nice day to play at the creek, and a pang of longing nudged Ril's heart. She crouched down on the ground, picked up a branch, and began drawing in the dirt. Ril was not much of an artist, but Ori still gave her lessons now and then. She was just drawing the petals of a flower when her ears perked up at the sound of rustling. Ril turned around and was surprised to see Amariel walking towards her.

"There you are. What are you doing by yourself, Ril?" she asked. Ril stood up and tossed the branch away. She brushed off the dirt on her hands.

"Drawing," Ril replied. Amariel nodded and looked down at the drawing Ril made.

"That's very lovely. Do you like flowers?" Ril nodded. Amariel smiled and motioned for the child to follow her with a small wave of her hand. "I'll show you how to make something really pretty with flowers." Ril stared at the woman for a moment before following her to the edge of the woods. Amariel sat down on the ground very carefully with her hand on her rounded belly. Ril sat down beside her and clasped her hands together in front of her.

Amariel observed the grass in front of her and began picking out white daisies. Ril watched her with apt attention as the woman took three daisies and began weaving the stems together.

"Be careful with the stems so they don't break," said Amariel. She took another daisy and glanced at Ril. "Weave the flowers as if they were braids of hair." Ril grasped her ankles and rocked back and forth as Amariel continued adding more flowers into the "braid." A few moments later, Amariel took one last daisy and weaved it around the first flower of the braid. "And there. All finished."

A smile lit up Ril's face as Amariel lifted up her flower crown. It was rather small and simple, but beautiful nonetheless. Amariel placed the crown on Ril's head, and the little girl looked up at her with widened eyes.

"For me?" Amariel smiled and nodded her head. Ril reached up with her hands and touched the flower crown. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome," replied Amariel with a smile. "Alright, now you should make one." Ril nodded and stood up from the ground. She brushed the dirt and grass off her blue dress and looked around the area, picking out colorful flowers. Ril giggled to herself as she brought back a whole bouquet of colorful flowers to Amariel.

"I like this one," she said as she sat back down on the grass. Ril picked up a white rose and showed it to Amariel. The woman nodded.

"Pick two more and start braiding the stems together," she said. Ril looked through the pile of flowers and picked out an anemone and a yellow tulip. She began weaving the stems together and added another pink flower to the braid.

"Like this?" asked Ril, raising her flower crown. Amariel smiled and nodded.

"Just like that," she replied. "You're very good. Much better than when I first started." Ril beamed at Amariel's compliment and continued working on her crown. Amariel gazed at the child with evident adoration in her eyes before looking around the woods.

"Do you not like clovers and sunflowers, Ril?" she asked, pointing to the flowers near the bushes. "They'll look beautiful in your crown."

"Rabbits like to eat clovers and sunflowers," she replied without lifting her head. Amariel held back her laughter and smiled instead.

"That's very thoughtful of you, Ril." The child nodded and continued working. A few moments passed by in silence as Ril nearly finished her crown of flowers. Amariel cleared her throat and glanced at the little girl. "Who are you going to give that one to?"

"Papa," replied Ril without hesitation. Amariel nodded and thought about the king-in-exile wearing a crown of flowers. The image struck her as funny, though she wouldn't say that out loud.

"Are you going to make more for other people?" asked Amariel. Ril paused before nodding.

"Aunt Dis. I don't think Fili and Kili would like one. Mr. Dwalin won't like it, but Mr. Balin might like one."

"I do think your Aunt Dis would love to have a flower crown," said Amariel, nodding. Her eyes brightened. "Oh, last flower!" Ril giggled and added the final flower to the braid. She lifted up her newly finished crown of flowers and showed it to Amariel.

"Finished!" said Ril. Amariel nodded in approval and patted Ril's back.

"It's beautiful!" she said. "I think your papa will love it." Ril smiled at the thought and gently placed the crown on the grass before picking up another flower.

"Do you like making these flower crowns, Ril?" asked Amariel. Ril didn't look up and nodded her head. Amariel paused for a moment before continuing. "Do you want to know who taught me how to make these?"

"Who?" asked Ril, glancing up at the woman. A sad smile appeared on Amariel's face.

"Your mother. Your mother taught me how to make flower crowns."

Ril's eyes widened. "Mama? Really? Mama taught you?"

"Yes," replied Amariel as Ril smiled. "She was a dear friend of mine." Amariel patted the back of Ril's head. "And I'm glad you take after her in many ways."

"How?" asked Ril, forgetting the flowers for a moment.

"Well, your mother was very beautiful," replied Amariel. "You look exactly like her, except for the color of your hair and eyes. You received those from your father. She was a bit quiet, but worked hard at everything she did. Her smile could brighten up the whole room."

Ril nodded. "Papa said I look like Mama. And we have the same smile."

"Does your papa talk about your mother often?" asked Amariel. Ril pursed her lips before nodding.

"He said that it would be a shame if I didn't know Mama," she replied.

"Then I'm glad," said Amariel. "Your mother was a remarkable person. And she was my first friend."

"Your first friend?" asked Ril, placing the flowers on the grass.

"My first friend," confirmed Amariel. "I grew up without having any companions. I was alone for most of my life until I met your mother. We became friends when she gave me a flower crown she had made herself. When I asked her why she was giving one to me, she replied that I would make the crown even more beautiful. Since then, I weaved flower crowns and gave them to people whom I wanted to be friends with. It's a very lovely and thoughtful sentiment."

Ril stared at her mother's friend for a moment and took in all the information before reaching up and touching the flower crown on her head. "You want to be my friend?"

"I would love to be your friend," replied Amariel. Ril smiled and sat closer to the woman.

"Can I make one for you?" she asked. Amariel smiled.

"I will treasure it forever if you do."

Ril nodded before her face became downcast. "The flowers are gonna die."

"Hmm. That's true. But it's always the heart behind the gift that matters. Whenever I gave a flower crown to someone, it was always a sign of friendship. Yes, the flower crown will wilt, but the bond you create with another person will not die. It will bend and be stretched, but it will never break as long as you try to hold that friendship together. Just remember this, Ril. Friendship cannot be created through one person's efforts alone. Just like how clapping requires two hands, friendship also requires the efforts of two people."

"So if I want to be friends with someone, I have to work harder?" asked Ril. Amariel nodded.

"It's scary trying to become friends with someone you don't know, especially if they're not family. But the friendship you'll have in the end will be worth everything in the world," she replied. Amariel leaned down and smoothed the side of Ril's dark hair. "I cannot put into words how thankful I am to have had your mother as a friend."

"Oh," said Ril as she glanced down at the flowers before her. Ril sat there and counted all the adults and Dwarflings she knew. "I have to make a lot of crowns."

Amariel smiled. "There's plenty of time and plenty of flowers. I'll help you, OK?"

"OK," replied Ril with a smile.

* * *

Thorin stood in the forge with a puzzled expression on his normally serious face.

"That's the fourth Dwarf," observed Gloin as he hammered a sword.

"Are Elves making them?" wondered Ferin. He stood beside his brother-in-law and was supposed to be learning how to make a sword. The sight before them distracted him.

"There's only one person here who knows how to make that," said Thorin.

Gloin and Ferin sighed. "Amariel."

"The babe is making her overly emotional," said Gloin with a hint of amusement.

"But why would the men still wear the crowns she made for them?" asked Ferin. "I would pretend to wear it and then throw it away afterwards."

"Don't tell your sister I agree with you," said Gloin as he returned his attention to the sword he was making. Thorin remained frozen in his position. A look of nostalgia passed over his face, and he sighed before turning around.

"Papa?"

Thorin's eyes widened, and he whirled around in alarm. Ril stood behind him with her hands behind her back. The feeling of joy he felt was soon overwhelmed by anger.

"Ril!" said Thorin. He tossed his hammer aside and placed both of his hands on his daughter's shoulders. Ril squealed as Thorin led her out of the forge. "Did I not tell you to stay away from here? Why are you disobeying me?"

Ril's lower lip quivered, but she held in her tears. "I didn't mean to," she said in a quiet voice. Thorin looked at his daughter, taking in her appearance, before sighing.

"Don't come near the forge again," he said in a stern voice. "It's dangerous. Do you understand?" Ril nodded her head.

"Yes," she replied. Thorin's anger slowly diminished as he kept his hands on Ril's shoulders. "Papa?"

"Hmm?"

"Here," said Ril. She removed her hands from behind her back and held out a crown of flowers to him. "I made this for you."

Thorin's eyes widened as he took the crown from her. He may not be interested in foliage, but the fact Ril made it for him caused Thorin to smile.

"Do you like it?" asked Ril in a hesitant voice. Thorin looked down at his daughter and nodded.

"I do," he replied. The smile that appeared on Ril's face made the tension and pain from Thorin's shoulders disappear. One moment he was tired from all the work he had to do, and the next he felt happy and content.

"Ms. Amariel said that Mama taught her how to make a crown out of flowers," said Ril. Thorin's eyes widened before he smiled.

"She's right," he said, observing the flower crown in his hand. "Your mother used to make them all the time for me. I had forgotten about this. . ." A tug on his shirt made Thorin looked down.

"Should I make more for you?" asked Ril.

"Yes," replied Thorin as he took hold of his daughter's hand in his own.

**A/N: And, yes. All those male Dwarves were wearing the flower crowns because the Princess made those for them XD**

**P.S. This chapter is the beginning of a series of flashback stories I'll be writing. The series basically depict all of the Dwarves' past, though the events will not be written in order. I started off with Ril just because she was a character I created so I figured it'd be best if I show you what her personality's like first (it's not as obvious in the chapters taking place in the present). I planned three chapters for Ril's story so the fourth chapter will end her past and introduce the next character: Bifur! I'm not sure who will be after Bifur, but I can guarantee that Thorin's story will be last ;)**

**P.P.S. GIMLI! He's not even born yet, but. . . GIMLI! Enough said.**


End file.
